At least 35 pro-Taliban militants were killed on Sunday in the Pakistan's restive north-western's Bajaur and Swat valley after security forces backed by fighter-jets pounded their suspected hideouts.

Reports from Swat said at least 25 militants were killed in the air strikes by the jets, the first such attacks in the region since the security forces launched a drive against the Taliban last year.

Initially, only artillery and gunship helicopters were used to hit militant positions. State-run PTV also reported the bombing of militant positions by jets in Swat.

In Bajaur Agency, 10 militants were killed in air strikes carried out by combat jets, official sources said.

Witnesses who fled the areas of Barthana and Shur in Swat that were bombed said the attacks destroyed several houses and a mosque.

Many people were buried under the rubble of destroyed houses, they said. Witnesses said local residents pulled 20 bodies from the rubble and were searching for more injured or dead who could be under the debris.

Witnesses who arrived in Matta town said the bombing started at 8 am (local time), forcing local residents to flee. Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan too confirmed the bombing and said several militants were injured.

He said the fighter jets started bombing at 8 am and the attacks continued for an hour. He said the "houses of civilians" were targeted.

Local journalists said the house of Taliban commander Alam Khan and a nearby mosque were hit. They said the mosque was completely destroyed in the attack.

The bombing created panic among the local population and they started fleeing on foot and in vehicles to other parts of the valley.

The army spokesman in Swat said fighter jets bombed militant positions but did not say anything about casualties. The army had claimed on Saturday that it had killed 60 Taliban fighters and wounded many others during strikes in Swat.

Boucher meets Zardari

The fresh offensive coincided with a surprise visit to Pakistan by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who on Saturday met interior ministry chief Rehman Malik to discuss the security situation.

Boucher held talks with President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday.

The US has hailed the military offensive against the Taliban though a majority of Pakistani lawmakers in an ongoing in-camera joint session of parliament have called for an end to military operations.

Reports said the US has deployed a small unit of 25 Special Forces personnel in Pakistan to train the paramilitary Frontier Corps for anti-militancy operations.

The training of Pakistani troops by the US personnel was also discussed by Boucher and Malik on Saturday.