Five Pak security officials killed in militant strike in NWFP

Islamabad, Mar. 26 (ANI): At least five Pakistani soldiers were killed and several others injured in a pre-dawn attack on a security check post in the restive Orakzai Agency of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) on Friday.

According to sources, a senior military officer Lt. Col. Anwar Abbas was among those killed in the militant strike, which is supposed to have been carried out by Taliban insurgents.

Following the strike, security forces launched a massive counter attack in the region killing at least 25 extremists at Kayala checkpost in region, Xinhua reported.

However, the casualties were not confirmed through independent sources.

Pakistani security forces, backed by helicopter gunships and combat jets, are engaged in an intense battle with the Taliban and other extremist groups in the troubled tribal region which has forced hundreds of people to migrate to safer places.

Officials said a large number of militants have forced to flee by the air strikes being conducted in the Orakzai region, which is believed to a stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP

Locals said that over 80 percent of residents have shifted out of the region and moved to nearby cities such as Hangu and Kohat. (ANI)