Khyber operation: 80 militants killed near Pakistan-Afghanistan border

Jets pound suspected militant hideouts in Tirah Valley, kill seven militants, injure 10 others

BARA: The latest phase of the operation in Khyber Agency, close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, has killed 80 militants and injured over 100.

Inter Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Asim Bajwa said on Saturday evening that forces had inflicted heavy casualties on militants as the army follows up its series of aerial strikes to clear the area close to the Afghan border.

Read: Jets pound militant targets in Tirah, 35 dead

He added that the operation has dislodged militants from bases, forcing them to flee across the border into Afghanistan.

Maj Gen Bajwa said that as seven soldiers had also been killed in the fighting.

“Operations will continue with full force till total terrorist elimination from these areas,” he added.

Ops #Z-e-A:Khyber-2 to clear areas further ahead,close to Pak-Afgn Border makes steady progress.Hvy losses incurred to terrorists-1/3

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 21, 2015

ops #Z-e-A:In Khyber terrorists being dislodged from bases,fleeing to border.So far 80 terrorists killed,appx 100 injured in this phase-2/3

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 21, 2015

Ops #Z-e-A:7 sldrs embraced Shahadat valiantly,Ops will continue with full force till total terrorist elimination from these areas-3/3

— Gen(R) Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimBajwaISPR) March 21, 2015

Jets pound militant hideouts in Tirah, kill seven militants

At least seven suspected militants were killed and ten others were injured when jet planes bombed their hideouts in Nary Baba, Mazatal and its surrounding areas in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on Saturday.

Local sources in the area said that jets struck several militant hideouts in the mountainous areas, destroying them.

The latest bombing was part of the second phase of Khyber operation, Khyber-II. It was started several days ago, in which the forces were targeting militants including the Mangal Bagh-led Laskhar-e-Islam, the TTP and others hiding in the valley.

All three tehsils of Khyber Agency including Landi Kotal, Jamrud and Bara, where militants are believed to have taken up refuge, are in the cross-hairs of the military.

Operation Khyber-I, which was conducted in Bara and adjacent areas, has ended, and IDPs are being repatriated to cleared areas.

Chasing a 'high value target'?

Prior to the announcement by the military, there were rumours of a massive clash in Tirah, with some speculating that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Mullah Fazlullah had been caught in the midst of the fighting.

https://twitter.com/asadmunir38/status/579256889814360065

https://twitter.com/asadmunir38/status/579260385397624832

@asadmunir38 @abbasnasir59 @kursed @YousafMalik41 Its true. Electronic int confirms it. Human int has yet to. 70 soldiers wounded

— Khalid Munir (@Khalid_Munir) March 21, 2015

@Khalid_Munir @abbasnasir59 @asadmunir38 Heavily defended ridge indicates presence of some high-value target like #MullahRadio

— Hussain Saqib🇵🇰 (@hsaqib17) March 21, 2015

https://twitter.com/KiloUniform1/status/579314488505024512

However, the army did not confirm that any 'high value target' had been hit.