PESHAWAR: Military planes bombed four hideouts in the mountainous Shawal valley of North Waziristan on Wednesday and killed 20 suspected militants.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, both local and foreign militants had been killed in the air strikes. The claim could not be verified from independent sources because media has no access to the area.

Ground forces, meanwhile, continued clearing Mirali, the second major town in the area, and a house-to-house search operation is under way in the town and adjoining villages.

The statement said that an ammunition-manufacturing unit had been found in the town.

Ammunition manufacturing unit has been found in Mirali

A huge cache of arms and ammunition, scores of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and large amounts of foreign currency were also recovered from Mirali Bazaar. The statement said that technical disposal and clearance of the IEDs and explosives was in progress.

Security forces had des­tr­o­­yed over 30 IED-making units in Miramshah, the ad­ministrative headquarters of North Waziristan, which has now been fully secured.

Sources said that security forces had started a search operation in Mosaki village near Mirali town.

Meanwhile, army continued distribution of relief items among internally displaced persons.

The ISPR said that 142,866 ration packs and 20,000 special Eid gift packages, including clothes for women and toys and sports items for children, had been distributed.

The distribution of more Eid gift packages is in progress.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2014