Pakistan jets kill 25 militants in fresh blitz in northwest

Islamabad: The Pakistani military on Thursday said that at least 25 militants were killed in air strikes on their hideouts in the restive northwest tribal region.

Fighter jets targeted Dattakhel area of North Waziristan where the army launched a massive operation to clear the area of militants in June last year which is still ongoing.

"Twenty-five terrorists were killed in precise aerial strikes today," the military said in a brief statement.

The identity of those killed was not known but the area is infested with al Qaeda-linked Taliban militants.

The toll could not be independently verified through sources as the conflict zone is off-limits to the media.

Pakistan has regularly pounded militant positions in the strongholds in Shawal and Dattakhel areas of North Waziristan which has been largely cleared of militants.

The army says over 3,000 militants have been killed in the operation so far.