Pakistan retakes area from Taliban, 40 militants killed
Pakistani forces said on Thursday they had retaken a strategically important area near the Afghan border from the Taliban after killing 40 insurgents, DPA reported.
The security operation for Shankarao area of Mohmand, one of the seven tribal districts where Pakistani forces are battling Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, continued for three days.
Brigadier Aftab Ahmed, an operational commander in the region's paramilitary Frontier Corps force, told reporters the Taliban had laid 115 landmines in an area of 75 meters along the Afghan border.
"These landmines have been defused," he said.
According to Ahmed all the 40 militants killed had entered from Afghanistan to take over a small territory. "Pakistani gunship helicopters also took part in the operation."
The claim could not be verified independently since the journalists and aid workers have limited access to the region.
Hundreds of Taliban forced to flee Pakistan by military operation have taken refuge in eastern Afghanistan. In recent months they have started to launch cross-border attacks on Pakistani posts and villages.
