Pakistani helicopter gunships pounded militant positions in a troubled northwestern valley on Monday for the first time since a state of emergency was declared, officials said.
Two militants were wounded when the choppers fired on rebel bunkers in the scenic Swat Valley, where followers of a pro-Taliban cleric are leading a campaign for Islamic Sharia law, a hospital and a rebel spokesman said.
Pakistan's army Monday officially took over operations against militants in Swat, a former tourist hotspot, after orders by President Pervez Musharraf to crack down.
It also followed calls by opposition leader Benazir Bhutto for a military offensive to tackle the extremists.
A police official speaking on condition of anonymity said the helicopters attacked militant positions in the hills above the town of Matta after gunshots were fired at the choppers.