The Pakistani army says it has killed almost 80 Taliban fighters since it began a large-scale offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan, near the Afghan border, on Saturday. It says nine Pakistani soldiers have been killed.

South Waziristan is an area over which the Pakistani government has little control and many Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters take refuge. Because journalists are not welcome there, it is difficult to provide independent verification of the Pakistani authorities' claims.

Map showing South Waziristan's location from Wikipedia