Army kills 20 militants

islamabad — Pakistan’s military said it killed 20 militants on Saturday in air strikes on a tribal region near the Afghan border, as part of a major offensive against insurgents that began last year.

The strikes took place near the Datta Khel area in North Waziristan tribal region.

“At least 20 terrorists were killed in aerial strikes,” the military said in a statement.

The conflict zone is off-limits to journalists, so there is no way to independently verify the number and identity of those killed.

Pakistan has been battling a homegrown insurgency for over a decade following the late 2001 United States-led invasion of Afghanistan.

The army began a major campaign against Taleban and other militant strongholds in the North Waziristan tribal area in June last year.

Authorities in Pakistan have since vowed to intensify operations, using air strikes, artillery and mortars to take back territory both in the border regions and other parts of the country from militants. —