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ShareISLAMABAD: Pakistani troops killed seven militants as they strengthened their positions in the lawless South Waziristan tribal region and cleared several Taliban hideouts, the military said today.
Seven militants were gunned down during a skirmish that erupted when security forces cleared a Taliban hideout at Kikrai near Sararogha, a former Taliban stronghold. Soldiers also conducted "area domination and consolidation" operations around their positions in Tor Wam and seized a cache of arms and ammunition.
Troops also strengthened their positions around Kaniguram and Makeen, two other militant strongholds. The military said large quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered during these actions.
Soldiers found the bodies of two militants during a search operation at Imar Khel Zangi near Makeen. The Pakistani military says nearly 560 militants and more than 60 soldiers have died so far in fighting in South Waziristan though these figures cannot be independently verified as reporters have no access to the conflict zone.
The Taliban have dismissed the casualty figures provided by the military and said militants had pulled out of South Waziristan as part of a strategy. They have also said they will soon launch attacks on the soldiers.
The army mobilised over 30,000 troops last month for Operation Rah-e-Nijat (Path to Salvation), which is aimed at flushing out an estimated 10,000 Taliban and foreign fighters from South Waziristan.
Security forces also continued search and clearance operations in the northwestern Swat valley, where four suspects were arrested while eight militants surrendered to authorities.
