Air strikes kill 21 militants in Khyber Agency, N Waziristan

Seven hideouts of suspected terrorists flattened in the blitz

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Pakistani military claims to have killed another 21 suspected terrorists in fresh air raids in the tribal agencies of North Waziristan and Khyber where US predator strikes took out eight suspected militants – including a senior member of al Qaeda’s Indian franchise – a day earlier.

‘Precise aerial’ strikes targeted hideouts of terrorists in remote areas of Dattakhel, North Waziristan, in which 11 terrorists were killed, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said in a statement. Two hideouts were destroyed in the blitz, it added.

Separately, military warplanes strafed positions of suspected militants in the remote Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, flattening five hideouts. At least 10 suspected terrorists were killed and five wounded in the bombardment.

According to political administration officials, fighter jets bombed targets in Pati Sar, Wocha Wana and Dwa Toyee areas which are dominated by tribesmen from Kokikhel clan of the Afridi tribe. They added that the injured militants were taken to private clinics in the area for treatment.

A large number of tribesmen have fled the area to seek shelter in Jamrud town and its surrounding areas. They say Sunday’s air offensive was the worst as it inflicted heavy losses on the militants holed up in the region.

Though militants had been maintaining a heavy presence in Tirah Valley for the last three years, the mountainous region located on the confluence of borders of three tribal agencies – Kurram, Orakzai and Khyber, saw an influx of militants after Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched in North Waziristan.

A large number of militants from North Waziristan are now sheltering in the strategically located valley which offers them the best transit route as it also borders the Afghan provinces of Nangarhar and Logar.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2014.