Pakistani government officials have announced military operations in the country's northwest will be suspended out of respect for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The head of Pakistan's Interior Ministry, Rehman Malik, Saturday said the offensive against militants in the tribal region will be halted Sunday night to allow displaced civilians to return home and observe the religious festival, which is expected to begin Monday. He warned that security forces will retaliate if attacked.

Malik made the comments during a news conference in the eastern city of Lahore.

Military officials say at least 40 militants were killed after fighter jets began pounding militant hideouts in the Swat Valley late Friday, to try to flush militants from the area.

Elsewhere in the northwest, residents and officials say a missile fired from across the border in Afghanistan has hit a suspected militant hideout in the town of Wana, in South Waziristan. Officials say at least five people were killed.