**At least six civilians have been killed in clashes between troops and militants in the Khyber tribal region of north-west Pakistan, officials say.**Fighting was reported around the town of Landi-Kotal near the Afghan border.
The military said 18 militants had been killed in a new offensive in Khyber. There is no independent confirmation.
The offensive follows a spate of bomb attacks in and around the nearby city of Peshawar in recent weeks that have killed hundreds of people.
Officials say the aim of the operation in Khyber is to destroy bases of Lashkar-e-Islam, a local militant group with links to the Taliban.