Islamabad (dpa) - Pakistani troops killed at least 19 Taliban militants and injured scores of others in two overnight clashes in the country's troubled north-western tribal region that borders Afghanistan, government officials said Monday.

Helicopter gunships pounded rebel hideouts in Mohmand district Sunday afternoon, hours after insurgents killed 14 tribal policemen.

"Military helicopters targeted several positions of insurgents in Gurguri, Sapari and Bahi Kor areas. At least 15 of them were killed and more than a dozen wounded," said local civil administrator Rasool Khan.

Separately, a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity said four militants were killed Sunday night during an attack at a security check post in the neighboring Bajaur tribal district.

One paramilitary soldier was also injured in the raid in Nawagai area. "Our forces repulsed the attack," the official said.

It was the first strike on security personnel in Bajaur since February 23, when the local Taliban announced a unilateral ceasefire after more than six months of fighting that left more than 1500 rebels, dozens of troops, and unknown number of civilians dead.

The two districts are believed to be strongholds of Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters resisting Pakistani security forces deployed to contain their cross-border attacks on US-led international forces in Afghanistan.

Late Saturday, Islamist insurgents ambushed a convoy of tribal police, locally known as Khasadars, in Mohmand, killing seven and capturing nine others along with a government official.

The bodies of seven of the prisoners were found dumped in the mountains early Sunday.

Local Taliban leader Omar Khalid claimed the responsibility.

He told the media over phone that two Khasadars and a government official will be released only after the government frees Taliban cadres in custody. (dpa)