Pakistani jets and artillery bombarded militant hideouts in the country’s restive northwest yesterday as part of a massive ongoing offensive against the Taliban, killing 18 insurgents, the military said.
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) planes pounded the outskirts of Mirali town late Friday while tanks targeted militant sanctuaries outside Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan where almost half a million civilians have fled.
“The PAF jets destroyed six confirmed terrorist hideouts killing 11 terrorists,” the military said in a statement.
“Terrorist concentrations were targeted early Saturday morning by integrated fire of artillery, tanks and heavy weapons outside Miranshah killing seven terrorists,” it added.
The statement said a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander was killed while a “prominent” Al-Qaeda commander was arrested while trying to flee.
The fresh bombardment came as aid agencies geared up relief efforts for refugees fleeing the military operation.
A full assault by ground troops has been expected for some days and the intensive shelling in several areas could indicate that it is now imminent.
Nearly 370 militants and 12 security personnel have been killed in the offensive though independent verification is impossible.
Pakistan’s armed forces have used jet fighters, tanks and artillery in the operation that began almost two weeks ago.
