Pakistan kills 11 militants near Afghan border
Pakistani troops backed by helicopter gunships killed 11 rebels and pounded suspected militant hideouts in a tribal town on the Afghan border, the military said yesterday.
The operation was launched Monday in Inayat Killi town in the Bajaur region, a stronghold of Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked militants, after a rebel rocket attack, local military official Mustaqim Shah told AFP.
The rocket attack gutted a shop but caused no casualties, he said.
"Troops backed by helicopters retaliated with artillery and mortar fire, and destroyed several suspected locations today. At least seven militants were killed," the official said.
Residents and security officials said exchanges of fire continued overnight and into Tuesday.
In a gunbattle, troops killed a further four militants firing from a fortress-like house in Inayat Killi, the official said.
A curfew has been imposed from Khar, the main town in Bajaur, to Inayat Killi 10 kilometres (six miles) north and authorities have issued a three-day ultimatum to residents to expel any militant in hiding, an AFP reporter said.
Residents of Khar were left without electricity after a rocket attack cut off the main power cable, the reporter said.
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