Islamabad: At least 30 soldiers and nearly 100 militants have died in heavy fighting in a remote tribal region of northwest Pakistan as security forces battled pro-Taliban rebels to gain control of strategic heights, according to media reports on Tuesday.
The battle for the heights in Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal region intensified yesterday as fighter jets and gunship helicopters targeted militant positions. Reports from the region said the death toll for both security forces and the Lashkar-e-Islam was “very high”. At least 30 security personnel and 97 militants had died in the fighting, military sources were quoted as saying on the website of Dawn newspaper. The militants were killed in strikes by ground forces backed by artillery and mortar fire. Lashkar-e-Islam and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan positions at several places in Tirah Valley were overrun by troops and a fierce battle was continuing. The militants were putting up stiff resistance since the offensive was launched on Friday, the military sources said. Security forces had taken their “heaviest toll in one of the bloodiest and most difficult operations in Tirah Valley”, officials said. (Agencies)