Updated

Pakistani troops raided a hide-out of suspected Al Qaeda (search) militants Saturday in a remote tribal area near (search), triggering a shootout that left two foreigners dead, an army spokesman said. Eleven people were arrested.

The troops also seized a large number of weapons in the raid near Miran Shah, the main town in northwest Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region, said Maj. Gen. Shaukat Sultan.

Pakistani security officials have said hundreds of foreign militants -- Arabs, Afghans and Central Asians -- with suspected Al Qaeda links are believed to be hiding in North and South Waziristan.

Pakistan (search), a key U.S. ally in the War on Terror, has deployed about 70,000 troops in the country's tribal regions to flush out terror suspects. The army in recent months has killed and arrested hundreds of militants in North and South Waziristan.

Sultan said troops were sent to the area on a tip that some suspected foreigners were hiding in a home.

"At this stage I can only confirm that we have killed two men, who are believed to be foreigners. Troops also captured eleven suspects who include some suspected foreigners," Sultan said.