Pak army captures two key militant villages in N Waziristan

Pakistan's military said today that its forces were systematically moving ahead in North Waziristan as two key militant villages were captured with more terrorists being eliminated and dislodged from their bases.
Operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched last month to uproot foreign and local militants from the tribal region on the Afghan border.
"Two important villages of Boya and Degan, which were known to be large concentration centres of local and foreign terrorists, have been cleared," the army said in a statement adding that consolidation of both villages was in progress.
House-to-house searches in Mussaki, Hurmez and Mirali Bazar areas in the second major town of Mirali are also being carried out by integrated forces.

The military said that terrorists holed up inside Mirali and surrounding areas have been firing rockets, mortars, heavy machine guns and sniper rifles at the security forces.
"During exchange of fire four terrorists were killed in Mirali last night," said the army.

The security forces are also facing major threat of mines and roadside bombs planted by fleeing militants.
The army said last night, 12 roadside bombs were neutralised, along with a factory making improvised explosive devices and a huge cache of arms and ammunition and foreign currency were also recovered.
The forces are also carrying out the strangulation of militant positions and targeting the terrorists and their hideouts in other areas of North Waziristan Agency.

Peshawar Corps Commander, Lieutenant General Khalid Rabbani today visited Mirali, Boya and Degan and met with the troops. The forces have already taken control of the major town of Miranshah.
More than 450 militants and at least 26 soldiers have been killed in the month-long offensive so far which has also displaced about a million people.