Staff Reporter/Agencies

Jamrud/Hangu – As many as 17 insurgents were killed and many others injured in military airstrikes in Khyber and Orakzai tribal agencies, official sources said on Wednesday.
According to security sources, jet fighters pounded militant bases in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency as security forces hit the positions of banned terror outfits in Dwa Toai area of tehsil Jamrud.
Official sources claimed that 9 militants were killed and several others injured in the operation. They said that a number of militant hideouts were also busted and huge cache of arms and ammunition, besides depots of ration, was destroyed.
Local sources confirmed killing of six suspected militants.
On the other hand, eight militants were killed their three hideouts were destroyed in the airstrikes near Hangu in upper Orakzai Agency.
The sources said the jetfighters blitzed four sanctuaries of the militants in the area that continued for half an hour.
Security forces have been combating militants in the tribal regions for many years however attacks on their hideouts have increased since the beginning of 2013, with at least 45 suspected militants reported as killed and at least a dozen hideouts destroyed in airstrikes and ground operations. Due to poor access and insecurity, the death toll and identities of victims are often too hard to verify independently.