ISLAMABAD, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Eight Pakistani soldiers died and 29 other were injured Tuesday in the operation against besieged armed personnel of Lal Masjid, or Red Mosque, private DAWN NEWS TV channel reported.

    A military spokesman confirmed that so far 50 militants from the Lal Masjid mosque and seminary compound were killed in the clashes.

    Pakistani security forces started a full-fledged operation in the wee hours Tuesday morning as a talk negotiated through religious scholars failed to convince the defiant armed personnel inside the mosque to surrender.