At least 15 militants were killed Monday when the military pounded positions in the troubled north-western tribal region, the army reported. The airstrikes were launched in the Tabai area of North Waziristan, one of seven districts where the army has been fighting militants along the Afghan border since June. "Aviation combat helicopters in precise strikes destroyed 10 explosive-laden vehicles and five terrorist hideouts," reported the army in a statement.
It also said that "15 terrorists were killed" in the attacks. The toll could not be verified through independent sources, as the area is inaccessible to most media. According to the army, more than 950 militants have so far been killed in the fighting in the district. Separately, a police official was killed Monday when unknown gunmen attacked a police station in Tall, in Hangu district of the north-western province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
A police official from the district told dpa that two policemen were also injured in the gun battle, after which the attackers fled. Also, two brothers of the head of Kolachi police station, in Dera Ismail Khan district of the same province, were killed when gunmen attacked his residence, Safirullah Khan from the district administration office said. Nobody took responsibility for the two attacks, but the Taliban often carry out such attacks at the security forces.