Four days after nine suspected militants were killed in airstrikes in Khyber Agency, the military claimed it had made progress against militants in the area, killing 27 and capturing key strongholds over the past 24 hours.
According to a statement released by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces said that they had captured militant strongholds in Sandapal, Tordara, Kundwala and Mehrban Killay areas.
Read: Operation Khyber-II: Air raids kill nine militants in Tirah
During intense fighting, the army claimed 27 militants had been killed. The army too suffered casualties, losing five soldiers including an officer, Captain Ajmal.
On April 26, in an airstrike, fighter jets pounded militant hideouts in Bagh, Wochay Wona, Paati and Naaka areas of Tirah.
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An arms and explosives depot was also destroyed in the blitz. The identities of the slain militants were not immediately known, but the officials claimed that a notorious commander was among the dead.
Read: Khyber-II: 23 militants killed in airstrikes
The targets of the latest air strikes were houses occupied by militants associated with the outlawed terrorist organisations of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam.
The claims could not be verified independently because the region has been off-limits to the media.
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