PAF offensive kills 20 militants in FATA, claim officials

Islamabad, Apr.20 (ANI): At least twenty militants were reportedly killed in an offensive launched by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) in the Orakzai region of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan military officials have claimed.

According to the Dawn, PAF jets and helicopter gunships launched an attack targeting a close aide of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, Hakimullah Mehsud, who had claimed the responsibility for a suicide car-bomb attack on a security convoy in which 25 security personnel were killed near Kohat town of the agency.

"Our jets and helicopters attacked suspected hideouts of militants in the Ghiliju area and killed 20 militants," a military official said.

Local residents said the fighter jets bombed a government school which was turned into a training camp by the Taliban.

However, officials were unable to give details about whether Hakimullah Mehsud had also been killed in the attack or not. (ANI)