Thaindian News

Peshawar, Apr 12(ANI): At least 23 militants were killed in clashes with Pakistani security forces, in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) restive Orakzai Agency.

According to local officials, the soldiers used helicopters and heavy artillery in the operation carried out to target Taliban hideouts near the Afghan border. The ambush comes a day after 40 militants were killed and over 20 injured in air strikes in the same region.

A statement issued by the Inter Services Public Relations in Peshawar said that militants had started fleeing to Tirah valley of the adjacent Khyber tribal region and other parts of FATA and Afghanistan due to the successful operation in Orakzai, The Dawn reports.

The statement said Tirah, a stronghold of the proscribed Lashkar-i-Islam, had become a hub of Tahrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Swat Taliban and foreign militants. Over 215 extremists have been killed in the last two weeks since the anti-terror operation was initiated in the region.Pakistani fighter jets had destroyed seven suspected terror hideouts and two houses belonging to pro-Taliban leaders besides killing over a dozen militants earlier this week.A huge cache of latest arms and ammunitions, bunkers, and dozens of vehicles have also been seized during the ongoing operation.Security forces have claimed gaining control over several areas in Lower Orakzai such as Bagram, Sheraz Garhi, Anari Kalay, officials said. (ANI)