Pakistan says its fighter jets have bombed militant hideouts in the country's northwest along the Afghan border, killing at least 18 insurgents.

The bombing Wednesday in the Kurram tribal region came a day after dozens of militants attacked a security post there. At least 10 Pakistani soldiers and 40 Taliban militants were killed in subsequent fighting Tuesday.

The Kurram region is an area considered sympathetic to Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud.

Meanwhile in southwestern Baluchistan province, at least 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed in overnight clashes with Baluch separatists.

Officials say the fighting began when rebels attacked several checkpoints east of the city of Quetta, setting off a gunbattle.

Baluch militants have been waging a low-level insurgency in hopes of gaining political autonomy and a greater share of the profits from the region's natural resources.

Pakistan's military first launched operations against Islamist militants in Kurram last July, and the fighting has yet to die down. It follows a series of similar military operations in the country's mountainous northwest aimed at stopping the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehrik-i-Taliban .

The TTP is responsible for many attacks targeting civilians, foreigners and government sites that have killed thousands during the past few years. The group says it wants to take down the Pakistani government, in part, because of its partnership with the United States in the war on terror.