Pakistan air raids kill 20 militants: military

[Coventina]

Source: AFP

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) — Pakistan helicopter gunships raided suspected militant hideouts near the Afghan border killing 20 insurgents and destroying their positions, a military official said Monday.

"The operation was launched on Sunday and at least four militants' positions have been destroyed so far," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to media.

(snip)

The ground and air assault on militant bases near Ghiljo in the semi-autonomous tribal district of Orakzai comes after a suicide attack in the nearby town of Hangu killed more than 20 security personnel on Saturday.

Officials in the area had put the death toll at 12 late Sunday. They said the air assault targeted hills where Taliban militants are hunkered down.



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