KOHAT, Oct 12: Twenty-seven militants, including two important commanders, were killed in an air strike in Orakzai tribal region on Sunday, says a press release issued by Frontier Corps.

It also said that 12 of those killed were suicide bombers.

In an offensive launched in the area troops destroyed the house of local Taliban leader Maulvi Abdul Salam.

Sources told Dawn that some helicopters came at around noon following a report about a gathering of Taliban and started shelling militants’ hideouts in Alizai, Khadezai, Mamozai, Aakhel and Ghiljo.

The helicopters destroyed the house of the chief of Taliban in Khadezai area, an eyewitness Abdul Malik said.

The sources said the Taliban had been meeting in the areas since the Friday’s suicide attack on a jirga in Khadezai which killed more than 60 tribesmen. They said that many of the seriously injured tribesmen had died.

“The administration and tribal elders will certainly devise a plan to trace the perpetrators and take action against them. The government will support the tribesmen in their fight against the terrorists,” an official said.

It is learnt that a large number of foreigners have been hiding in Mamozai since their eviction from Waziristan and Bajaur agencies and they are being treated as guests.

Tribal elders would discuss their future because they had ganged up with militants of Darra Adamkhel and were helping them in planning and carrying out terrorist activities in the country, the sources said.

Last week, tribal lashkar had found drums full of explosives in two vehicles and arrested three Taliban in the Chappar area.

Some foreigners carrying suicide jackets were captured but tribal elders released them as a goodwill gesture.

But the situation changed after the suicide attack and tribesmen now plan a serious discussion on the presence of foreigners in the area.

According to AFP, the helicopters bombed the meeting of militants linked to Al Qaeda near the border with Afghanistan, leaving 35 fighters dead.