Pakistan army kills 18 Taliban in tribal area
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Sept 20, IRNA -- Pakistani security forces bombed hideouts of suspected Taliban militants in Orakzai tribal region on Tuesday and killed 18 of them, state television reported.
PTV reported that the military gunships shelled positions of the militants at the mountainous Dabori region in Orakzai region.
Four bunkers of the militants were also destroyed in shelling, the report said.
There was no independent confirmation of the report as journalists are not allowed to go to the area.
Earlier the militants attacked a check post of the security forces, killing one soldier and injuring five more, PTV reported.
The forces, backed by military helicopters, launched a counter offensive, repulsed the attack and killed 18 militants. Sixteen more militants were injured.
Militants escaped after the attack and the security forces occupied their bunker atop the mountains, the report said.
Orakzai, the former stronghold of Taliban militants, is the only of Pakistan seven tribal regions, which does not have borders with Afghanistan.
Pakistani forces conducted major operation in Orakzai region against the Taliban in March last year and declared an end to military offensive in the region after announcing it has fully cleared Orakzai of Taliban, however locals claim that while Lower Orakzai is cleared, the situation in Central and Upper Orakzai has not changed much.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30572936
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