Islamabad, June 21 (IANS): At least 30 terrorists were killed in targeted strikes by Pakistani fighter jets in the country's restive North Waziristan and Khyber tribal areas, a Pakistani army official said Saturday.
Army spokesman Asim Saleem Bajwa said three more hideouts were destroyed in air strikes in Hassu Khel in North Waziristan agency, killing 20 terrorists, Xinhua reported.
All the air strikes were carried out in areas where there is no civilian population, he stated.
Pakistani fighter jets also destroyed two terrorist hideouts close to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Agency, killing 10 terrorists.
Bajwa said tribal leaders have declared their support for the army in the ongoing military operation in North Waziristan.
In his Twitter message posted Saturday, the spokesman said the support has been extended by the tribal elders of Miranshah, Mir Ali and Datta Khel, three major towns in North Waziristan.
He said the tribes have assured that the terrorists will not be allowed to return to their areas.
The Pakistan army launched operation 'Zarb-i-Azb' in the tribal region of North Waziristan, a week after an attack on Karachi's Jinnah International Airport, deploying troops, tanks and jets to crackdown on Taliban and other terrorists.
Around 235 terrorists have been killed since the start of the operation and many hideouts destroyed.
A large number of people have fled the war zone during a three-day relaxation of curfew in North Waziristan, officials said.