At least 17 militants were killed when Pakistani military launched an airstrike in country's North Waziristan area on Wednesday, local media reported.The airstrike pounded four hideouts of suspected militants in Shawal and Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, a restive tribal area along Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Dawn reported.Identities of the killed militants have not been revealed yet, but the targeted areas are home to militants linked with outlawed outfits Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.Wednesday's airstrike was a continuation of the ongoing operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan area which has so far killed over 3,000 militants.
According to Dir Gen of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of Pakistani army, operation in Shawal is the last push against militants as the operation has entered its final phase after most of the areas in North Waziristan have been cleared from the militants.Earlier on Wednesday at least 14 suspected terrorists were killed and eight others injured in airstrikes in Pakistan's Khyber Agency.
According to security sources, Pakistan military jets targeted the suspected hideouts of militants in the Tirah Valley area of Khyber Tribal Agency and destroyed two hideouts.Earlier this week, an attempted suicide attack on the Political Agent's office in Khyber Agency's Jamrud area left four people dead and 56 others injured.Tirah Valley lies astride the Pakistan-Afghanistan border sandwiched between the famous Tora Bora mountains and the plains of Bara which connect with the provincial capital, thus giving it a unique strategic positi