Pakistan is succeeding in its fight against Islamic extremists close to the border with Afghanistan, even though the campaign is being hampered by US missile strikes in the region, the country's president said yesterday.

Asif Ali Zardari told The Associated Press in an interview he expects US President-elect Barack Obama to take a "new look" at Pakistan's objections to the missile attacks on suspected al-Qaeda and Taliban targets; but that did not know if Obama would halt them. The United States is pressing Pakistan to take more action against militants in its rugged and lawless northwest border area, which many consider the global front line in the fight against al-Qaeda.

Pakistan has pursued a military campaign in a tribal region in the northwest since August that officials say has killed 1,500 suspected insurgents.

US officials say it has helped stem die flow of fighters into neighbouring Afghanistan, where they are blamed for rising attacks on American troops.

"I think from where it was when

we took over, we are in a much better place," said Zardari about the military operation in Bajur tribal region.

Since August, the United States is believed to have launched at least 18 missile strikes on militant targets from unmanned drones believed launched from neighbouring Afghanistan.

The attacks have killed some militants, but many of the dead have been civilians. Pakistani officials say. US military Gen David Petraeus said last week that the missile strikes had killed three top extremists leaders.

Pakistani leaders have condemned the strikes.

Meanwhile, at least six suspected militants were killed Monday when Pakistani jets bom-bardedTaliban hideouts in a restive tribal region near the Afghan border, officials said.

The air strikes targeted the towns of Sewai and Damadola in Bajaur district where Pakistani forces have clashed with Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants for the past three months, local administration official Jamil Khan told AFP.