Waziristan, July 17: Pakistani fighter jets pounded Taliban positions killing five militants and two civilians in the restive South Waziristan tribal region and the adjacent Jandola area, reports said today.
Warplanes shelled two compounds occupied by militants in Sararogha and Ladha areas of South Waziristan Agency, killing five militants and injuring six others.
The militants fired several rockets at Khechi village in the Jandola region.
Two women were killed and a child was injured when a rocket hit their house, the newspaper reported.
The Pakistani military has been pounding militant positions in South Waziristan over the past few weeks ahead of a planned offensive against Tehrik-e-Taliban Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud and his network.
Meanwhile, columns of infantry backed by tanks moved into North Waziristan Agency yesterday as curfew was imposed in several parts of the region.
Local residents said hundreds of troops reached a base in Miranshah, the headquarters of the agency from Mirali.
They were accompanied by 25 tanks and armoured personnel carriers and over 100 other vehicles.
All markets in the two towns remained closed during the movement of the troops.
Fifteen tanks were deployed in Mirali. The movement of troops sparked fear in the area.
Two helicopter gunships also flew over the area.
According to officials, a soldier was injured when a bomb exploded near the Banda check post.
Troops defused four improvised explosive devices planted on the Mirali-Miranshah road.
The situation in North and South Waziristan began deteriorating after militant groups scrapped peace agreements with the government.
Militant commanders Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Maulvi Nazir, who were earlier considered pro-government, have severed relations with the administration.
–Agencies