Nine militants killed in Rajgal Valley air strikes

BARA: Nine suspected militants were killed when jet fighters pounded their hideouts in Rajgal and its surrounding areas of Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency, official and tribal sources said on Saturday.

They said that six hideouts of militants were also destroyed in the attack carried out as part of the renewed military operation in the remote Rajgal Valley sited close to the border with Afghanistan.

The slain militants were believed to be affiliated with the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan and Lashkar-e-Islam.

It was learnt that these militants were trying to cross the border and enter Pakistan via Rajgal in Tirah Valley.

More than 30 militants have so far been killed and 15 of their sanctuaries were destroyed in the last four days of the Khyber-3 military operation. Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif also visited the Tirah Valley on Friday where he met the troops and pledged to purge the area of militants.