Pakistan's security forces on Sunday launched military operation and killed 27 militants in northwestern tribal region.

At least 27 militants were killed in Orakzai tribal agency and 12 potential suicide bombers were among the dead, local Dawn News TV channel quoted military sources as saying.

A bomb blast on Saturday hit a jirga, or tribal elders' meeting, in Orakzai tribal agency on the Afghan border, killing about 100 tribesmen.

The jirga, attended by up to 600 tribesmen, was convened to chalk out a strategy to expel Taliban militants from the tribal region.

Pakistan's security forces have been conducting operations against militants in the tribal areas and some local tribesmen have voiced their support for the government's operations.

(Xinhua News Agency October 13, 2008)