ISLAMABAD: Pakistani forces pressing an offensive inside the militant stronghold of South Waziristan are closing in on a major Taliban base and have killed 14 insurgents over the last 24 hours, the army said on Friday.

The Pakistani military launched a ground offensive earlier this month in the tribally controlled region of South Waziristan, where the Pakistani Taliban are based.

In a statement, the army said its soldiers now control the hills above the village of Sararogha, a reputed base where Taliban leaders have long operated openly. A total of 289 militants and 34 government soldiers have been killed in the offensive, according to a tally of army figures.