PESHAWAR, Pakistan
: As many as 20 militants including a key commander were killed in fresh aerial strikes carried out in the Khyber tribal region on Friday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In a short statement, the ISPR said that 18 militants were also injured in air strikes which the security forces conducted as part of the ongoing operation ‘Khyber-2’.
The operation ‘Khyber-2’ followed the ‘Khyber-1’ which was launched in October 2014 amidst a full-fledged Pakistan military joint offensive against various outlawed militant outfits in the volatile North Waziristan tribal region near the Afghan border.
Last Saturday, the armed forces completed their first year of operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ while according to casualty figures given by the ISPR, a total of 2,763 militants and 347 Pakistan army officers and soldiers have so far been killed in North Waziristan agency since June 14 last year.
Later in a statement, the Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the military operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ has now entered its final phases
The defence minister said that ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ has achieved many important successes against terrorism during the last one year.
