At least 15 militants were killed today in airstrikes carried out by Pakistan's military to clear the strongholds of Taliban and Al-Qaeda along the country's restive border with Afghanistan.
Aerial strikes were conducted in the Alwara Mandi, Khar-Tangi and Maizer areas ahead of Datta Khel near North Waziristan, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The airstrikes were conducted after a cross-border mortar shelling by militants targeted a security checkpost in upper Kurram Agency.
Kurram is one of the most sensitive tribal areas as it borders three Afghan provinces and at one point was one of the key routes for militant movement across the border. It lies adjacent to North Waziristan.
The region was claimed by the military to have been cleared of insurgents during an operation a couple of years ago, however, militants still carry out sectarian attacks and also target security forces occasionally.
The mortar attack on the border comes amid high tensions in the agencies.
Yesterday, an indefinite curfew was imposed in parts of Mohmand Agency after various clashes between militants and security forces, which left nine khasadars dead last week.
One suspected militant was also injured in a US drone strike in Kurram Agency yesterday.
