KOHAT, Oct 26 Sixteen militants were killed and 23 others injured during a joint operation by the army and Frontier Constabulary in Tora Warai area of Hangu district on Sunday night and Monday. Fifty-four militants, some Afghans among them, were captured.

According to officials, security officer Abdul Jaffar lost his life and seven other personnel suffered injuries in the operation which was launched after an attack by militants on a military checkpost in Tora Warai late on Sunday night.

According to reports reaching here, hundreds of militants of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan from Orakzai Agency and no-go areas of Hangu took part in the attack. Troops repulsed the attack after a gunbattle which continued for about two hours.

The officials told Dawn that militants had taken away the bodies of their colleagues and the injured.

Six hideouts of militants were destroyed in Tora Warai and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including two rocket-launchers, five rockets, two grenades, three shotguns, two rifles, four pistols and automatic weapons, was seized.

Militants use Tora Warai to enter North Waziristan from Orakzai. A few days ago, security forces blew up a road linking Hangu with North Waziristan to stop the movement of militants.

Meanwhile, DPO Gul Wali Khan said that police had arrested 22 suspects, including seven illegal Afghan nationals, during a search operation in Hangu and Thall. Two Kalashnikovs, three rifles, five shotguns, seven pistols and cartridges were seized.

Police also foiled an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of food items to Afghanistan and arrested six people. Three trucks carrying 1,050 bags of flour, 10 bags of wheat, 400 bags of sugar and 60 tins of ghee were impounded.