TANK: Troops are reported to have set on fire shops and other commercial property in the town of Mauli Khan Serai in the campaign against supporters of Baitullah Mehsud, chief of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Local people said that three restaurants, a petrol pump and several shops had been torched in the town on the Wana-Jandola road on Saturday night.

The administration has also taken action against Mehsud tribesmen under the Frontier Crimes Regulation, arresting several elders and sealing their property.

Air force planes attacked several places in Makeen and Wergeen areas on Sunday. According to sources, 12 people were killed in the air strikes — seven in Wergeen and five in Makeen.

A timber warehouse and a government primary school occupied by militants were attacked in Shakerkot.

Militants fired three rockets at a paramilitary camp in Wana, the regional headquarters, on Saturday night. Security personnel counter-attacked with mortar and artillery.

Reuters adds: Security forces also fired artillery at an office of a militant ‘commander’ Maulvi Nazir, residents said. He was not there at the time, they said.

‘It’s very scary. Jets have carried out heavy bombing. I saw billows of smoke and dust coming from houses that were hit,’ said Jahangir Barki of Wana.

The military has said it is trying to clear militants from a stretch of the main road linking Wana with the Frontier province.