PESHAWAR: At least 10 suspected militants were killed in air strikes in Shawal area of North Waziristan tribal region on Wednesday amid migration of civilians from the affected areas to Afghanistan.

Inter Services Public Relations, the military’s media wing, said that jets bombed positions in Shawal valley, killing 10 `militants’ and destroying five hideouts.

The air strikes in the region have been continuing for the past five days in which, according to official claims, around 100 ‘militants’ have been killed. However, official claims could not be verified from independent sources.

There are reports that air strikes have triggered displacement of civilians from areas adjacent to Afghanistan.

One Mohammad Sadiq, who lives in the area, told this correspondent by phone that a large number of people had moved to Afghanistan because of intense bombing. He said tribal people had taken refuge in Khost and Paktika provinces.

Published in Dawn, August 20th, 2015

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