Pakistan air strikes kill 13 militants

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Pakistan’s military said on Sunday, November 9, it killed 13 militants including an important rebel commander in air attacks in a troubled tribal district near the Afghan border.

The strikes were mounted in Khyber district where the Taliban and another banned militant group the Lashkar-e-Islam have taken refuge, the military said in a statement.

It said 10 militant hideouts and an ammunition depot were also destroyed.

The military said the commander who was killed was known for his training of suicide bombers, but it did not disclose his name or nationality.

Two suicide bombers were also among those killed, it said.

The military launched a large-scale offensive in the North Waziristan tribal district in June in response to a bloody raid by insurgents on Karachi Airport, an attack which ended faltering peace talks between the government and the Taliban.

Militants have taken sanctuary in Khyber after fleeing strongholds in North Waziristan, and troops began a military operation in Khyber in October.

More than 150,000 people have fled the district since then.

The army says it has killed more than 1,100 militants and lost around 100 soldiers since the start of the June operation.

But the toll and identity of those killed is difficult to verify because journalists do not have regular access to the conflict zones. – Rappler.com