Islamabad - XINHUA
A total of 47 militants were killed in an air raid by Pakistani army in the country's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency on Thursday, local media reported.
ARY News said that the military jet fighters pounded hideouts of suspected militants in three different areas of Khyber Agency, a militancy-infested tribal area where the military is carrying out an armed offensive "Operation Khyber 2", presently.
A total of 23 militants were killed in the restive Tirah Valley area of the agency, along Pakistan-Afghanistan border, 17 in the agency's capital Jamrud and seven in Toradara area, said the report.
Identities of the militants have not been revealed yet, but Khyber Agency is home to militants of different groups with a stronghold of banned outfits Lashkar-i-Islam and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
Thursday's airstrike is a continuation of the "Operation Khyber 2" which has so far claimed the lives of 310 militants and 35 soldiers.
According to an army statement released earlier on Wednesday, the terrorists' strongholds have been reduced in the area since after the operation and currently the military is battling terrorist in the last few pockets close to the Afghanistan Border.
The operation has tightened the noose along the militants and there is no place left for them to escape, said the statement.