The Pakistani military Sunday claimed it had killed 23 suspected militants in airstrikes near the Afghan border as part of what officials called the final phase of a yearlong offensive against the Taliban. Fighter jets hit hideouts of Taliban fighters in North Waziristan tribal district, killing 10 militants, a military statement said according to dpa. Separate strikes in Khyber tribal district targeted militants from Taliban's Lashkar-e-Islam group, killing 10 fighters hours later, the military added. Both areas have been strongholds of Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda before Pakistan launched its offensive last summer. The military said this month that at least 2,700 militants have been killed in the campaign that also resulted in a remarkable decline in violence. Nearly 350 soldiers had also died.
