Airstrikes kill 21 suspected militants in Tirah Valley, Rajgal
The airstrikes in Tirah Valley and Rajgal area of Khyber Agency destroyed several militant hideouts.
PESHAWAR (Web Desk / AFP) – Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets killed at least 21 militants in the Khyber tribal region on Wednesday night, an army statement said.
The airstrikes in Tirah Valley and Rajgal area of Khyber Agency destroyed several militant hideouts.
The operation in Tirah aims to build on the army s offensive against strongholds of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups in nearby North Waziristan that began in June last year.
Tirah s geography makes it an almost perfect hideout. Rather than a single valley, it is a network of peaks and vales covering an area of 1500-1800 square kilometres (600-700 square miles) at altitudes of up to 2,500 metres (8,000 feet).
The valleys are steep-sided and covered to a large extent with dense woodland. There are no roads in the area, with locals largely relying on mules and horses for transport.
The Taliban have been launching attacks for more than a decade in a bid to overthrow the government. Thousands have been killed.
Pak Army has stepped up anti-terrorist efforts after the Taliban attacked a school in December in the northwestern city of Peshawar, killing 150 people — mostly children.
