Eight militants killed in Tirah air strikes

BARA: Eight suspected militants, including key commanders of various organisations, were killed and several others sustained injuries when jet fighters of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) blitzed their positions in Tirah valley of the Khyber Agency on Monday, official sources said.
They said the jet fighters pounded the hideouts of militants in various areas including Speen Drand, Tor Darra, Tarkhu Kas in Kukikhel, Nakai and other areas in Tirah Valley.
They said at least eight militants were killed and several others wounded in the air strikes. Several hideouts of militants were also destroyed in the operation.
The sources added important commanders of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in the strikes in Tarkhu Kas in Kukikhel area which shares boundary with the Kurram Agency.
However, sources could not independently verify the killing of the militants as people have left houses and the communication system has been destroyed amid ongoing Operation Khyber-1.
Our correspondent adds from Mardan: A man was killed and three others were arrested by the security forces during a search operation in Katlang tehsil and its adjoining villages in Mardan district early Monday, official sources said.
Also, security officials said a soldier of the Pakistan Army was injured in exchange of fire with suspected militants in Matta village in Katlang.
The residents said a large number of troops arrived early morning and clamped curfew on several villages, including, Matta, Ghundo, Shamozai, Badar Banda, and Sawaldher town. They asked the locals through loudspeakers to stay indoors.
The troops besieged a house in Matta village. The villagers heard heavy gunshots after the troops arrived in the area.
Security officials said one militant was killed and three were taken into custody during the search operation in Matta.
They said a soldier was injured in the exchange of fire with the militants.
The villagers said that the man killed during the operation was a local identified as Gul Qadir, son of Samar Khan
According to the villagers, the sons of Samar Khan had links with the militants. Two of his sons have already been killed over their alleged links with the militants.
A few years ago, one of his sons, Fazal Qadir was killed during an exchange of fire with the security forces in his village. His second son died in detention.
The body of the slain man wasn’t delivered to his family till filing of this report.
Meanwhile, all schools and trade and commercial centres remained closed in the area.
Traffic remained off the road and employees of the government and private sectors couldn’t go to their jobs due to curfew in these villages.
The security officials said curfew and search operation would continue in the area.