ORAKZAI AGENCY: Pakistani helicopter gunships on Sunday bombed a meeting of militants linked to Al-Qaeda near the border with Afghanistan, leaving 35 fighters dead.

Among the dead in Sunday's attack were two Taliban commanders and about 12 potential suicide bombers, officials said.

“Helicopter gunships carried out a successful raid at a militant hide-out in Orakzai district killing 35," a senior security official said.

Separately, a paramilitary official confirmed around a dozen potential suicide bombers were among those killed.

"The raid was carried out after ground intelligence that the Taliban were meeting and their commanders and potential suicide bombers would be there," he said.