KOHAT, April 18: Several militants were killed when helicopter gunships pounded different areas of Darra Adamkhel near the border of Khyber Agency on Thursday, sources said.

They said that the militants fled Khyber Agency and crossed into Darra Adamkhel after hideouts were targeted by security forces in the tribal region.

At least two helicopter gunships shelled Landikhel, Noor Badshah Kallay and Kharmatang area of Akhorwal in Darra Adamkhel for six hours when security forces felt movement of militants, they added.

Sources said that ground forces also launched an operation in those areas to trace the militants, who fled Akakhel area of Khyber Agency.

They said that the residents of Akakhel had burnt few houses of militants and their harbourers few days ago. They said that the fleeing militants were trying to enter Darra Adamkhel. Some arrests were made in the ground search operation, sources said.

In Khyber Agency, four houses and two hideouts were destroyed when jetfighters pounded positions of militants in Bara tehsil on Thursday.

Sources said that the air sorties were conducted in Khawangi Zawa area of Akakhel early in the morning and later in the afternoon.

They said that four vacated houses were destroyed in the morning strikes while few militant hideouts and a bunker were targeted in the afternoon. No casualty was reported in the air strikes as militants had already vacated the area.

In Mardan, police foiled a sabotage bid by defusing a 15-kilogram explosive device on Thursday.

DSP Khalid Naseem told Dawn that two motorcyclists threw the explosive device in front of a small restaurant, situated opposite Mardan Press Club.

He said that they were informed about the presence of explosive device by the policemen deployed at the press club. —Dawn Report