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40 more militants killed in Pakistan air strikes

Fighter jets carried out air strikes early on Wednesday against suspected militant hideouts in Datakhel tehsil of North Waziristan Agency, killing scores of militants and destroying their hideouts.

Fighter jets struck suspected terrorist hideouts in the Kiza Madakhel, Datakhel, Ezark areas of the agency. Military spokesman said at least 40 terrorists were killed and eight other hideouts have been destroyed in the strikes.

However, this information could not be independently verified as the access of media is restricted in the region.

The army launched an all-out operation named ‘Zarb-i-Azb’ on June 15 to flush out local and foreign militants in North Waziristan. Tuesday saw at least 11 terrorists and three Frontier Corps (FC) soldiers killed when Pakistani security forces repelled an attack by militants from across the Afghan border. The Pakistan Air Force has spearheaded the campaign in ‘Zarb-i-Azb’, pounding suspected militant hideouts in what until recently was the epicentre of terrorism in Pakistan as the military moved its infantry and mechanised forces to clear and hold a region where the state until June 15 enjoyed little or no authority.

Three months into the operation, the military says it has cleared more than 80pc of the territory in North Waziristan including its regional headquarters of Miramshah, its now ruined sub-district Mir Ali and a communication line spreading over 80km up to Dattakhel.

news@khaleejtimes.com