Miranshah- Over 50 militants, most of them Uzbeks, were killed in air strikes on their hideouts in North Waziristan Agency today morning.
"A number of terrorists' hideouts in Degan, Datta Khel in North Waziristan Agency, were targeted by jet aircrafts. There were confirmed reports of presence of foreign and local terrorists in these hideouts who were linked in planning of Karachi airport attack," according to ISPR press release. Strikes took place in the Boya tehsil, Degan forests and Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan.
It said over 50 terrorists, mostly Uzbek foreigners, have been killed in the strikes and an ammunition dump has also been destroyed. Dehgan area is some 25 kilometres (16 miles) west of Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan tribal district and a stronghold for Taliban and Al-Qaeda linked militants on the border with Afghanistan.
"The strikes were carried out based on confirmed reports about the presence of Uzbek and other militants in the area," an official said, adding that the jets pounded the targets at around 1:30 am.
Earlier there were reports that at least 150 terrorists have been killed in the agency in shelling by the fighter jets. According to security sources, Uzbek commander and mastermind of Karachi airport attack Abu Rehman is also among the extremists killed in the operation.
Political administration said curfew remains clamped in NWA even today and all exit/entry roads closed for all sorts of traffic.
As pressure builds for a fuller response to the Karachi airport assault, which was joined by Uzbek militants, residents and officials in Miranshah said that the majority of foreign and local fighters had already left the area.
"Most of them have gone deep into the mountains towards the Afghan border," a senior security official said.