Pakistani fighter jets bomb hideouts, kill 20 militants
Islamabad, Feb 20, IRNA – At least 20 suspected militants have been killed when Pakistan fighter jets shelled their hideouts in North Waziristan tribal region, military sources said Thursday.
The latest military operation came following a deadlock in peace dialogue between the government and the Taliban intermediaries.
A government committee refused to hold more talks with the Taliban mediators after the Taliban killed 23 hostage security personnel in Mohmand tribal region on Sunday. The hostages had been kidnapped in 2010.
The Taliban said the security men were killed as revenge to the alleged “custodial killings” of their detainees by the security officials.
“Air strikes were carried out late night in Mir Ali in North Waziristan tribal agency to target militants’ hideouts with precision,” military sources said on Thursday.
“There are confirmed reports that of 20 militants including foreigners killed in these strikes. A huge cache of arms and ammunition have also been destroyed,” the sources said.
Most of the Militants are Trained by Indian Army & Indian RAW Trainers in Afghanistan
There was no independent confirmation of the casualties as journalists are not allowed to the area.
The Taliban have not commented on the attacks.
Hours before the military action, the Taliban offered conditional ceasefire urging the government to stop “arrests and custodial killings” of their members.
It is the second time in a month the security forces have launched operation in the same region.
On January 20, fighter jets targeted positions of the suspected militants killing 40 militants including several Uzbeks and three German nationals.
Spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Shahidullah Shahid, told the media on Wednesday that the Taliban would declare a ceasefire if the government assures their intermediaries not to “kill their prisoners.”
