Pakistani forces have intensified their offensive against extremist militants, killing 57 rebels in fresh airstrikes and moving ground troops deep into their strongholds, dpa cited the military as saying Thursday. Fighter jets bombed 20 militant hideouts in Khyber tribal district, which borders Peshawar city, where Taliban fighters on Tuesday massacred 148 people, including 135 students at an army-run school, a military statement said. Ground troops also moved deeper into Tirah valley, a mountainous stretch near the Afghan border where various militant groups linked with al-Qaeda have long established sanctuaries, the statement said.
