Summary Bodies of 20 militants killed during security forces operation were recovered from Akakhel village.
PESHAWAR (AFP) - Pakistani authorities on Thursday found the bodies of 20 militants killed during security forces operation in a restive tribal area earlier this week, an official said.
The bodies were found during a "search operation" at Akakhel village in the Khyber tribal district bordering Afghanistan where Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam militant groups are active.
Security forces have been carrying out a military operation against militants in the area since July 18 which concluded on Thursday.
"Today during a search operation bodies of 20 militants were found," Khyber administration official Nasir Khan said.
Nasir said helicopter gunships and artillery units during the past five days had been pounding militant hide-outs in Akakhel village which had been abandoned by tribesmen due to unrest.
"Most of the bodies are in very bad shape," he said.
Separately, a senior security official said five soldiers were also killed during the gunfights and that the operation forces had captured eight militants.
