47 pro-Taliban militants killed in Pakistan

Pakistan’s military says it has killed at least 47 pro-Taliban militants in two days of airstrikes in the restive northwestern part of the country.

The airstrikes took place in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan tribal district, close to the Afghan border.

“Twenty two terrorists were killed in precise aerial strikes late last night in (an) area (close to) Datta Khel in North Waziristan Agency,” the military said in a statement on Thursday.

The airstrikes come a day after 20 militants were killed in Tirah Valley in the Khyber tribal district, where the Pakistani Taliban and Lashkar-e-Islam groups have strongholds.

“In precise aerial strikes in Tirah, Khyber, today, 20 terrorists - including three bombers - were killed. Destroyed hideouts of terrorists include their ammo and ration dumps,” the military said in another statement late Wednesday.

In separate incident on the same day, Pakistani military sources said five militants were killed in a search operation in the Shakto area of South Waziristan tribal district.

The region is considered a pro-Taliban stronghold and has been repeatedly targeted by Pakistani forces in the past.

The Pakistani military began its latest offensive in Khyber, one of the seven autonomous tribal districts along Pakistan’s mountainous western border, in October 2014, four months after a pro-Taliban attack on Karachi airport ended peace talks.

The Pakistani military uses airstrikes, artillery fire as well as ground troops to take back territory from pro-Taliban militants.

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