ISLAMABAD - At least 36 foreign national militants and important Pakistan Taliban commanders were among the over 40 militants killed in the operation launched by Pakistani forces in the country's northwestern tribal region, local media reported on Wednesday.

Local media quoting military sources reported that some key Taliban commanders, 33 Uzbeks and three Germans were killed in a counter offensive of the armed forces on Tuesday in North Waziristan, a tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

The majority of the killed terrorists were foreigners, while some of the key commanders of the banned Tahrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) including Wali Mohammad, Ismat Shaheen Batni, Noor Badshah and Maulvi Farhad Uzbek were also killed, the sources said.

There were no further details about the foreign militants killed in the operation.

Pakistan's Armed forces, including Air Force, launched a coordinated operation in North Waziristan and adjoining tribal areas on Tuesday, killing over 40 terrorists.

The army's gunship helicopters and jet fighters of Pakistan Air Force pounded heavily on the militants' hideouts in the operation.

The retaliation by the armed forces started after Pakistan Taliban's suicide bomber attacked security forces in northwestern district of Bannu on Sunday, killing 23 personnel, and a suicide attack near army headquarters in garrison city Rawalpindi on Monday killed over 13 people, including eight army persons.