Jet fighters strike militant hideouts in Tirah

PESHAWAR: Jet fighters struck suspected militant hideouts in various parts of the Kokikhel area in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency early on Wednesday morning. Local and intelligence sources said that a number of militant hideouts were destroyed while several terrorists have also been killed in the strikes. The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) is yet to issue details of the recent military activity and the information could not be independently verified as the access of journalists is limited in the region. The strikes are part of the ongoing military operation named Zarb-i-Azb, initiated on June 15 against anti-state militants hiding in the North Waziristan Agency. The operation was launched after the Taliban and their ethnic Uzbek allies both claimed responsibility for the attack on Karachi airport and peace talks failed between the government and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators. Nearly a million people have fled the offensive in North Waziristan, which is aimed at wiping out longstanding militant strongholds in the area. Khyber, where the recent strikes targeted suspected militant hideouts, is one of Pakistan’s seven semi-autonomous regions governed by tribal laws and lies near the Afghan border. The Taliban and other Al Qaeda-linked groups, who stage attacks in both countries, are known to have strongholds in the zone. Comment Email Print Do you have information you wish to share with Dawn.com? You can email our News Desk to share news tips, reports and general feedback. You can also email the Blog Desk if you have an opinion or narrative to share, or reach out to the Special Projects Desk to send us your Photos, or Videos. Comment Email