WANA/TANK, Jan 19: Fighter planes on Saturday bombed several suspected militant locations and security forces claimed that they had found 10 bodies of assailants and captured 40 others in Chagmalai, South Waziristan, on Friday night.

Local people said that PAF planes had dropped bombs on different positions in Laddah, Spika Raghzai, Gorogoray and Asman Manza, causing damages to a number of houses and infrastructure. Heavy artillery shelling was also reported in other areas of the troubled region.

Officials claimed that an outpost of militants in Laddah was targeted. The building of a government degree college was also bombed in the same area. However, no casualty was reported.

Two houses in Laddah were damaged and there were reports that a facility of militants had also been targeted. Fighter planes made several sorties and dropped bombs on militant positions. Security forces also fired artillery shells and pounded positions in Laddah sub-division on Friday night.

The Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement that 10 bodies of militants had been recovered and 40 people arrested during operations in the Chagmalai area on Friday night.

The ISPR said that security forces had arrested 10 assailants and seized arms and ammunition during raids on the outskirts of Tank.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Taliban spokesman Maulvi Umar, however, denied the ISPR claim that 40 militants had been arrested.