LANDI KOTAL: Heli­copter gunships conducted several air sorties in parts of Tirah valley in Khyber tribal region on Saturday morning, killing at least five suspected militants and destroying their hideouts. In South Waziristan, two soldiers lost their lives in a bomb explosion.

Although the military did not issue any statement about casualties, intelligence officials claimed five suspects affiliated with the banned Lashkar-i-Islam were killed.

The aerial attacks were part of the ongoing Khyber-II operation aimed at flushing out militants from the valley.

The official said helicopters attacked LI positions in Nangrosa, Spin Drand and Thor Khel areas of Sipah where militants had some of their important hideouts and bunkers on adjoining hilltops which posed a hazard to ground offensives by security forces.

Security officials had earlier claimed to have taken control of some important localities in Sipah where the LI had strong presence.

LI spokesman Salahuddin Ayubi conceded the destruction of hideouts on Saturday but insisted that no activist of the group had been killed. He also claimed that militants had captured two soldiers but the claims could not be verified.

Sailab Mahsud adds from Dera Ismail Khan: At least two soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device went off near a military vehicle in Nanno area of South Waziristan.

A local spokesman for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Azam Tariq Mahsud, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2015

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