LANDI KOTAL: At least 25 suspected militants were killed and over 50 injured when their hideouts were pounded by military planes and artillery shelling in Bazaar Zakhakhel and Akkakhel areas of Tirah valley on Wednesday.

Officials said four hideouts used by the banned Lashkar-i-Islam (LI) organisation in Dray Wandi, Areena, Zorh Kali and Wanaro areas were destroyed in air strikes and five militants killed.

Later, 20 suspected militants were killed when security forces fired artillery shells on LI positions in Bazaar Zakhakhel area.

But the official claim could not be verified through independent sources as journalists have no access to the areas in Tirah and Bara.

The artillery shelling was carried out from the Jarrhobi army camp in retaliation for mortar attacks by militants on security forces and a pro-government armed group, Tauheed-ul-Islam. At least one peace volunteer was killed and another critically injured.

On Tuesday, two soldiers and two peace volunteers were killed and two soldiers injured in bomb attacks on the convoys of security forces and volunteers in a remote area of Landi Kotal.

The soldiers killed were identified as Zameen Khan of Charsadda and Hameed of Lakki Marwat and the volunteers as Rahmatullah and Abdul Baqi, of Shan Khel area of Bazaar Zakhakhel.

The injured soldiers were airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, November 6th , 2014