MOSCOW, October 30 (RIA Novosti) — At least 21 suspected militants were killed by Pakistani Armed Forces troops during an anti-terrorist operation in Khyber tribal area of Pakistan, the military press service said Thursday.
The Pakistani Army lost eight soldiers in the offensive conducted as part of Khyber military operation.
"Eight soldiers embraced shahdad [martyrdom] during fierce fighting and exchange of fire with terrorists," Dawn newspaper quoted an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement as saying.
Khyber is one of seven semi-autonomous tribal districts bordering Afghanistan that is being flooded with insurgents, Islamists and militants of Afghan origin. Numerous organizations including local branches of al-Qaeda inhabit this area. Khyber raids as well as Zarb-i-Azib operations by Pakistani forces in North Waziristan have been conducted since June. About 66 militants have been killed in the military offensive on Khyber and over 1,100 terrorists killed in the Zarb-i-Azib operations so far.
