PESHAWAR (AFP/Reuters) - At least 12 militants were killed and more than a dozen wounded on Saturday when forces attacked the suspected bases of feared Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud, officials said. The fighter jets pounded a base run by a militant commander loyal to Mehsud in the Makeen area, around 70 km north of Wana, the main town in South Waziristan. The planes heavily bombed bases of Commander Shameem in Makeen and we have reports that 12 to 15 militants were killed, an intelligence official in the region told Reuters by telephone.Two fighter jets pounded Taliban militant hideouts in Makeen and Laddha, killing 10 Taliban and injuring 15 others, local tribal police official Syed Akbar Khan told AFP. Makeen and Laddah are the main South Waziristan strongholds of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud, who is blamed for a number of suicide attacks and bomb blasts in Pakistan.The tolls could not be verified independently as the areas are out of bounds to journalists because of the ongoing military operation and presence of Taliban militants. Operations in Swat and Buner are in their final stages and the focus has switched to the stronghold of Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan. The air raid on Saturday on Mehsuds mountainous redoubt was the latest in a series over recent weeks, and the government has already given orders for the military to mount an all-out assault. The army is still assembling its forces in South Waziristan, and some diplomats expect some of the troops fighting in Swat to be moved there soon. In a separate incident militants early Saturday fired six rockets at a security camp and a paramilitary fort in Wana, a government official said. The security forces in retaliation shelled the Taliban militants, killing two and injuring three others. Two Taliban were killed and three others injured when security forces fired artillery shells on militant hideouts, local official Allah Bagh Khan said. The shelling also killed two people and wounded three others, including a woman in Kalosha and Azam Warsak areas near Wana, a resident said. Two shells hit two houses killing two people and injuring three others, local resident Rehmatullah Wazir said. An official in the area also confirmed the incident. Diplomats estimate that Mehsud has more than 20,000 men holed up with him, protected by a series of mountain ridges and dried out river beds, and gullies that provide excellent cover for the guerrilla fighters. APP adds: The security forces are continuing their clearance and search operation, as a final phase of Operation Rah-e-Raast in Swat and Malakand while various terrorists hideouts were targeted from air in South Waziristan Agency (SWA). According to ISPR here Saturday, the security forces have recovered arms, ammunition and various equipment, while three soldiers were injured in exchange of fire with terrorists in Swat. Security forces started clearance operation at Khlel Kandao and Dangram and an exchange of fire took place with the terrorists whereby causing injuries to two soldiers, each at Thana and Tutan Banda. Sweep and search operation by the security forces in remaining areas of Rangeela, Mam Deherai, Khazan, Garai, Gamko Garai and Nimogram is continuing from where one Parado jeep, 6 walkie talkie sets, one satellite communication set, 4 IEDs, 6 camera flash guns, notes on (how to use) weapons, explosives and 1 VHF/FM transmitter, were recovered from terrorists hideouts at Garai. Security forces carried out search operation in area around Kandao near Biha, Waliabad, Sambat, Baidarra Shakardara and Gulibgah where an exchange of fire took place with the terrorists injuring one soldier at Gulibgah. During the operation one rifle along with ammunition was recovered from Shakardara. On Saturday, centres of terrorists training facilities and arms and ammunition dumps at Ladha and Makeen in SWA were targeted from air. According to statement, restoration of services and relief activities are continuing. Twenty-three civilian doctors and 52 paramedics reached Saidu Sharif hospital, it said adding that repair work on rural water pumps is in progress while four trucks of rations and relief items were distributed amongst the IDPs of Malakand on Friday. Total 2,125 ATM cards were distributed in Postgraduate College (Guhati) and 126 others were distributed in Akora Khattak.