Islamabad: Pakistani troops killed 17 militants, including a Taliban commander, and arrested 32 others during operations in the country`s northwest and the restive tribal belt on Sunday, authorities said.
Eight militants were killed in air strikes by jets in Orakzai tribal region.
Three vehicles and five rebel bases were destroyed in the attacks, officials were quoted as saying by TV news channels.
In the Mohmand tribal region, four militants were killed and six others injured during operations by security forces in Baizai sub-division.
The troops launched the operation after rebels attacked a Frontier Corps fort and injured a security personnel.
Three more security personnel were injured in the same region when militants attacked a security forces vehicle.
Troops conducting operations in the restive Swat valley killed four militants, including Taliban commander Gul Mola, during skirmishes on the outskirts of Mingora, the main city in the area.
Security forces also apprehended 19 militants from different areas of Swat.
Thirteen militants surrendered to security forces across the valley. In Waziristan tribal region, where the army has been conducting a major ground offensive against the Taliban for the past two months, troops killed a militant and captured seven suspects in Razmak sector.
Militants also attacked troops with rockets and small arms in Razmak sector though there were no reports of casualties.
Security forces conducted a search operation and apprehended six suspects in Jandola sector of South Waziristan.
Security forces also cleared several militant-held areas in Shakai sector.
Meanwhile, a bomb blast outside a mosque killed two anti-Taliban tribal elders and wounded two others in the Bajaur tribal agency, a report said.
The attack came a day after militants struck a mosque frequented by military personnel in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, killing 40 people, including a major general and 17 children.
PTI
