At least 22 suspected terrorists killed in NWA air strikes

E-Paper | July 21, 2026

ISLAMABAD: At least 22 terrorists were killed in military airstrikes carried out in North Waziristan tribal region late on Saturday night, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets carried out aerial strikes close to Pak-Afghan border ahead of Datta Khel killing 22 terrorists, a spokesman for the ISPR said in a statement.

It added that six militant hideouts were also destroyed as a result of strikes.

The military said that the air strikes were carried night after credible intelligence reports were received regarding the presence of terrorists in the vicinity.

The details could not be independently verified as access to journalists is severely restricted in the region.

The strikes came as part of Zarb-i-Azb, a grand operation in the North Waziristan tribal region, which was launched after a Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attack on the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi in June 2014.

Since the beginning of Zarb-i-Azb, militants have fled to other tribal regions, including Khyber and its Tirah Valley and Shawal, all of which border Afghanistan.

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Cyrus

Oct 11, 2015 11:49am

There are specials operations people on the ground picking out these targets.

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Khopdee

Oct 11, 2015 11:57am

Ok strikes to extract money from US....good ploy

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Ali

Oct 11, 2015 01:29pm

Why no action in Punjab? Only to protect Nawaz sharif vote bank? Is everyone in Punjab an angel? Including Mian Mansha, Mumtaz Qadri, Rana Sanaullah and all the banned outfits who vote for Shahbaz sharif? Has army decided to support Nawaz sharif even at the cost of the country? Shame

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Ali

Oct 11, 2015 02:40pm

Good. Please continue to operate in all 3 provinces and don't touch Punjab to protect Nawaz sharif vote bank.

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Wise

Oct 11, 2015 03:25pm

Which other country uses its air force to bomb its own people? Other than Israel, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Syria I can't think of any. What does it mean if a country cannot police its own region? There has to another way. How many innocent lives are cut short in Gaza, kunduz and waziristan by the forces which are supposed to protect them?

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SGH

Oct 11, 2015 04:41pm

Thank you Pakistan Air Force. Thank you Pakistan Army. God bless you. You are fighting to save Pakistan.

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Ani

Oct 11, 2015 05:03pm

These ops has been going on since a long time. It would be a bit of a surprise if terrorists are still hiding here. It would mean sure death.

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Faisal Naqvi

Oct 11, 2015 05:16pm

Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif are fine with these airstrikes now. They were so anti drone when PPP was in power. Pakistan army recently used a drone by the name "Burraq" which was made in Pakistan. It is clear that right wing politicians have taken hypocrisy to the next level. Pathetic is the word comes to mind when you think about there vociferous opposition to the military operation against the terrorists.

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Changez_Khan

Oct 11, 2015 06:00pm

Keep killing these evils, they don't deserve to live. Thanks Pakistan Armed Forces.

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Sub se pehle Pakistan

Oct 11, 2015 06:47pm

@Ali Encounters in Punjab are giving the results. Malik Ishaq is gone. If Mulla Radio was in Punjab, his goose would have been cooked by now, by Punjab's CTD, in a an encounter. It has always been hard to get these terrorist, when they hide in hills and Afghanistan. Looks like Army means business this time.

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Sub se pehle Pakistan

Oct 11, 2015 06:52pm

@Wise Would you want to go, or send your sons to fight these terrorists, without air force at your back? You would bleed a generation without any outcome.

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Wise

Oct 11, 2015 07:14pm

@Sub se pehle Pakistan My questions were not around the strategy to fight. But rather a reminder that everyone in kundus is not a Taliban, not everyone in Gaza is not a suicide bomber and everyone in fata does not belong to ttp. The bombs raining in these areas do not differentiate good or evil men.

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abdullah

Oct 11, 2015 08:20pm

@Wise .seems you are not so wise .as these bombs are raining in shawal the last holding of talibans.so you should not worry so much.its not happening in other parts of the tribal region.its time we crush them.And dont compare it with kundus.Its a different story.

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Alam Ali

Oct 11, 2015 09:08pm

I have a doubt about this news from Army. I think this is propaganda war of Army to get people's praise and to maintain their status. Every two three days army kill several terrorist. If I accept this news tten I have to say "Pakistan is full of Terroris" enough to destroy world. -Alam

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Wise

Oct 11, 2015 09:51pm

@abdullah I realize shawal is different from kunduz and gaza is not the same as shawal. If I am living in shawal even if I have progressive thoughts, even if I have a heritage of fighting Pakistani freedom from British or fought against other foreign invaders before, my life is still in danger from these raining bombs. Even the most advanced technology users end up bombing a hospital and killing dozens of doctors involved in charity work. All I was hoping is, instead of killing indiscriminately, there should be a way to identify good peace loving leaders in this region and work out differences. Giving leadership to army and major worship has not brought good results anywhere , only brought disaster to Pakistan

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Tirah wall

Oct 12, 2015 10:57am

@abdullah There is a problem... more than 6000 air assault have been carried in FATA, Does it make any sense, Either they are bombing empty hills for dollars and have no will to eliminate terrorist or they are frightened enough to move on ground. If there was sincerity FATA would have been cleared of militants years ago. Aerial strikes only yield results when are followed by ground forces!!! Why fight against militants is taking a decade, 7Millions is population of tribal areas and all suffered from this non conclusive war, many are still IDPs. There is fault and should be addressed before situation worsens to the point of no return!!!

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