BANNU: Security forces continued their advance on militant hideouts in the Janikhel area of Frontier Region of Bannu on Sunday. Curfew also remained imposed in Bannu city on the sixth day of the military operation.

Residents said that the intensity of firing had subsided on Saturday night as the security forces claimed to have flushed out militants from the locality and destroyed some suspected hideouts.

Sources said that the elders and notables of FR Bannu have held talks with the security forces to save the area from destruction. However, it could not be known whether the talks reached any conclusion.

The militants fired three missiles at the Bannu city on Saturday night. One of the missiles fell on a house destroying a room, while the other two landed outside the residential area. No casualty was reported from the missile attack.

The curfew was relaxed from 9am to 3pm on Sunday to enable the people to get essential items of daily use. The police arrested 13 people, six of them Afghans, during curfew relaxation.

District police officer Mohammad Iqbal said that the detained suspects were being interrogated at a secret location.

Routine life has come to a stand still due to the curfew creating a shortage of food items and medicines, while all shops and private clinic remained closed during the past six days. The people and traders have demanded that the authorities increase the duration curfew relaxation.

Our Correspondent in Khar adds: Jet fighters and gunship helicopters pounded suspected positions of militants in the Salarzai and Nawagai tehsil of the Bajaur tribal region on Sunday as the security forces expanded the military operation.

At least nine militants were killed and several others injured in the air strikes, officials and residents said.

They said that two jet fighters and several gunship helicopters targeted militants’ positions in the Charmang area of Nawagai tehsil. Hideouts in Babara, Cheenar, Kotki and Hashim Koi were also bombarded.

Residents said that in some parts of Charmang valley security forces faced stiff resistance from the militants. However, officials said that the resistance in Charmang had begun to subside.

The officials said that the security forces had also targeted the command and control system of the militants in Charmang valley. The militants were fleeing from these areas, they added.

The security forces also targeted suspected positions in Banda Darra, Ghundai and Mulla Said area of Salarzai tehsil. The air strikes in Salarzai continued for about 40 minutes, which killed two militants.

Locals said that the militants were still hiding in government installations in the plain areas of the tribal agency. The militants have set up bunkers in these government buildings, they said.

Sources said that at least 24 militants have been eliminated during the operation since Friday.