ISLAMABAD, August 31, SPA -- Pakistani soldiers killed at least 30Taliban militants in gun battles across the northwestern Swat Valley after a suicide bombing on a police station killed 17 cadets, the military said Monday. Soldiers looking for militants after the bombing encountered resistance in several areas and battles raged overnight into early morning Monday, army spokesman Col. Akhtar Abbas was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. «Security forces have encircled a group of militantsthere and battles went on late into the night,» he said,adding that 30 militants were killed. A separate army statement said one soldier was killed inthe fighting in three separate areas of the valley.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/696724