LANDI KOTAL/GHALANAI, Dec 22: Two militants were killed and seven others received injuries when fighter jets targeted their hideouts in Tirah valley of Khyber tribal region, officials said.

They said that jets bombed militant positions in Ghakhi, Pag Darra, Wacho Wana and Serrhai localities of Kukikhel area in Tirah valley and destroyed their two hideouts.

They said that one of the destroyed hideouts was in the control of Mullah Haider, a militant commander affiliated with Tariq Afridi group of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan.

The officials said that two militants affiliated with the same group were killed in the bombing. Seven other militants received injuries, the officials claimed.

Tariq Afridi group had captured Kukikhel-inhabited area of Tirah valley in May this year and forced hundreds of tribal families to vacate their houses and take refuge in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber tribal region.

In Mohmand tribal region, a security man was injured when an improvised explosive device, planted by unidentified persons, went off on Saturday.

Official sources said that the injured solider identified as Shakir Khan was fetching water from a nearby spring to a checkpost in Shani Khel area of tehsil Haleemzai when he fell pray to the blast.

The injured soldier was shifted to a local hospital for treatment, they said.

The security forces including Khasadar and Levies personnel conducted a joint search operation in Shanikhel, Samikhel and Tarokhel areas of Haleemzai tehsil soon after the incident. Official sources said that more than 12 tribesmen were arrested during the search operation under the collective territorial responsibility clause of Frontier Crimes Regulation. The detained tribesmen were shifted to Ghalanai, the administrative headquarters of Mohmand tribal region, for interrogation.

The security forces also blocked the main Peshawar-Bajaur Road at different points for five hours. The residents of the area said that the road remained closed to traffic from 8am to 1pm.

Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan claimed responsibility for the blast. Talking to local journalists from an undisclosed location, he said their targets were known so common people should take care in moving in the targeted places.