Seven Pakistani security personnel were on Monday killed when Taliban militants ambushed their vehicle near a strategic tunnel in the troubled North West Frontier Province.

The security personnel were moving from a camp to the posts they had established in mountains near the Kohat tunnel when they were ambushed and killed by the militants, TV channels reported.

The incident came days after Taliban suicide bombers unsuccessfully attempted to target an army camp near the tunnel which links the Peshawar in NWFP to other parts of the province.

Following this, the security forces launched an operation against the militants in the area.