10 March 2016

News Story: 21 militants killed in NW Pakistan offensive - military

Pakistan said Tuesday it has killed 21 militants in air strikes and ground operations that began overnight in a northwest border region where it is carrying out an offensive to clear Taliban strongholds.

Military spokesman Asim Bajwa said the strikes, which took place in the Shawal Valley of North Waziristan tribal district, began Monday night and continued into Tuesday.

"Ops continue. Imp heights & passes along Pak-Afgn Bdr secured. Valley's sanitisation in progress," he said on Twitter.

He later posted photographs of soldiers fanning out in a forested area and a ruined building engulfed in smoke.

It was not possible to confirm how many people were killed in the offensive, nor whether they were indeed combatants, as journalists are denied access to the conflict zone.

Read the full story at SpaceWar