The death toll of the attack by militants on a police check post in upper Dir area of northwestern Pakistan rose to 27

The death toll of the attack by militants on a police check post in upper Dir area of northwestern Pakistan rose to 27, local media reported Thursday.

According to earlier reports, seven security officials were killed and several injured when about 300 Afghanistan-based militants attacked and over ran a joint police and levies check post in Upper Dir, about 20 kilometers inside the Pakistani territory from the Afghan border.

Following the attack the militants occupied the check post and a number of houses.

Gunship helicopters were sent to the spot to carry out heavy bombardment to repulse the attack, and fresh reinforcements of security forces, including army, police and levies, rushed to the spot.

According to Xinhua sources in Dir, skirmishes are still going on in the area and local people of the affected area have been evacuated to safer places.

The attack took place Wednesday when hundreds of militants from Afghanistan tried to enter Pakistan through the Upper Dir district which borders Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, two schools and one bridge were reportedly blown up by unknown militants in the same district. It is not known whether these attacks are coordinated actions or not.

Posted in: The death toll of the attack by militants on a police check post in upper Dir area of northwestern Pakistan rose to 27