Peshawar, June 30: Fighter jets conducted strikes on Taliban positions in the restive Orakzai tribal region in northwest Pakistan today, killing 20 militants and destroying six hideouts, officials said.
 The jets pounded militant positions at Mamozai, Khadezai, Maulan Patti and Sawarkot areas of Orakzai Agency, which borders Afghanistan.
 Fifteen militants were injured in the bombardment. Pakistani troops launched an operation in Orakzai Agency in mid-March against the Taliban, who fled an army offensive in South Waziristan last year.
 The army says it has killed hundreds of militants in the operation.
 In a separate development, police arrested nine militants, including militant commander Azam Khan alias Qasai, from Doaba area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and took them to an undisclosed location for interrogation.
 Security forces arrested another Taliban commander named Ibrahim from a house in Jalala area of Mardan district, officials said.
 In another incident in Orakzai Agency, 12 children and two women were injured when a mortar shell hit their house. Local residents blamed the security forces for the incident.
 A security forces vehicle was slightly damaged when militants targeted it with a remote-controlled bomb in Hangu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
 No one was injured in the incident.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 30 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST