Jet fighters bombarded suspected hideouts in Koki Khel area of Tirah
KHYBER AGENCY: At least thirteen militants were and scores of them were wounded in air strikes conducted by Pak air jet fighters here in Rajgal, the far-flung area of Tirah Valley on Thursday.
In the ongoing Khyber 3 operation in Khyber Agency, the jet fighter bombarded suspected hideouts in Koki Khel area of Tirah,forces sources said and adding six sanctuaries of the militants were also demolished in the air attack. Although the casualty could not be confirmed of independence sources.
According to security sources, the fighter jets also bombed six hideouts of militants in the area.
The strikes are part of a major offensive to clear Taliban and Al-Qaeda strongholds that began in 2014 in North Waziristan, one of seven Pakistani tribal districts bordering Afghanistan.
The military began an offensive in Khyber in October 2014, carrying out air strikes and using artillery, mortars and ground troops. Overall levels of militancy-linked violence have dropped dramatically this year, with 2015 on course for the fewest deaths among civilian and security forces since 2007 — the year the Pakistani Taliban umbrella group was formed.
Pakistan has been battling Islamist groups in its semi-autonomous tribal belt since 2004 after its army entered the region to search for Al-Qaeda fighters who had fled across the border following the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. North Waziristan is a major base for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (Pakistani Taliban) as well as the Haqqani network which targets US and NATO forces across the border..Military jets pounded suspected hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) in Sur Kas, Baragat and Wacha Wona areas of tehsil Jamrud, killing five militants and injuring many others.
Three training centres of militants were also destroyed in the airstrikes, military sources claimed.Security forces also shot dead two alleged activists Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) outfit in a skirmish on Sunday here in Nala area of Bara.
Six armed men of LI were killed in another combat between forces and the militant organisation in Shalober area of tehsil Bara, official sources said.They said LI militants ambushed the troops in Shalober but the attack was repulsed by the forces who inflicted heavy loss on the attackers.
