27 militants killed as fighting rages in Khyber Agency

BARA: Five soldiers, including an army captain, were killed in heavy clashes between security forces and militants in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency on Thursday.
Military officials confirmed the loss of four soldiers and an officer and said 27 militants were also killed during what they termed ‘fierce fighting’ between the troops and militants.Senior security officials said the clashes took place after the troops entered a stronghold of the militants in Tirah Valley.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) also confirmed the clashes and said in a statement that security forces had gotten “huge success” in the ongoing military operation named Khyber 2.
The officials said the forces had captured Sandapal, Tordarra, Kundwala and Mehraban Killay in Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal region.The ISPR also said that besides the four soldiers, an officer Captain Ajmal was also martyred in the clashes with the militants.
Security forces during the past few months have been making a steady advance to capture the remote Tirah Valley bordering Afghanistan from the militants. Besides the Lashkar-e-Islam, headed by Mangal Bagh, militants affiliated to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State (IS) had set up their sanctuaries in the Tirah Valley and are resisting the troops.
Two days ago, the Lashkar-e-Islam spokesman, Salahuddin Ayubi, conceded that the army had taken control of certain areas in Tirah but termed it their ‘tactical retreat’. Meanwhile, the funeral prayers of the officer and soldiers were offered at the Garrison Ground in Peshawar. Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, Corps Commander Lieutenant General Hidayatur Rehman, IG Frontier Corps and other civil and military officers and Jawans attended the funeral.