KALAYA, March 24 Security forces consolidated their control of Kalaya, the regional headquarters of Orakzai Agency, and killed 21 militants in gunbattles and air strikes on Wednesday.

Officials said that militants were fleeing to the adjacent Tirah valley in Khyber Agency.

The paramilitary Frontier Corps, with the help of army and Frontier Constabulary, launched an operation on Tuesday to flush out militants from Orakzai, the regional headquarters of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. Militants used the area to launch attacks in Kurram, Hangu, Kohat, Darra Adamkhel, Khyber and Peshawar.

A security official said that 21 militants had been killed and several others injured in ground and air attacks in Anjani area of Lower Orakzai. A bunker and a training camp were destroyed.

The Taliban also kept in Orakzai people kidnapped for ransom from various areas. However, it was not clear whether the fleeing militants had taken dozens of their captives along with them to Tirah or were holding them in areas still under Taliban's control in Orakzai.

According to the official, troops entered Orakzai from two points. Initially, the militants put up stiff resistance, but fierce attacks forced them to flee to Tirah. He said “It's good because the bad guys are now converging on Tirah. It will make our task easy.”

The official said that militants had turned Orakzai into a base because of absence of security forces, but now troops were there in full strength.

Security forces also attacked Anjani, Storikhel, Laljelkhel, Saidkhel, Merobak, Bezotkhel and Hashmat Khan Kaly areas and brought them under control and hoisted national flags there. Villagers of Shah Naka and Qeematkhel welcomed the troops and assured them of full support. A fierce clash was reported from Hashmat Khan Kaly where militants fired mortars. Security forces responded with heavy artillery fire. A curfew was imposed in the area.

PAF jets and helicopter gunships bombed suspected militant positions.

Our Correspondent in Kohat adds The bodies of four militants were found in Anjani and sources said they were believed to have died after suffering injuries in Tuesday's air strikes.