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.