PESHAWAR: Forty suspected militants, among them an unspecified number of foreigners, were killed and five terrorist hideouts destroyed in an strike carried out by military planes near the Afghan border in North Waziristan Agency on Wednesday.

The Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement that the air strike was carried out in Dattakhel sub-division.

Civilians have already left their homes in Dattakhel and a majority of the area residents have migrated to the Afghan province of Khost.

Security forces have intensified air attacks in North Waziristan Agency and Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency which, according to official claims, have left scores of militants dead.

One such attack on militant hideouts in Tirah Valley on Tuesday claimed 25 lives.

According to official statements, over 1,100 local and foreign militants have been killed since Operation Zarb-i-Azb was launched in North Waziristan Agency in June.

Published in Dawn, September 18th , 2014