43 suspected militants killed in Khyber

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Soldiers of Pakistani army patrol during a crackdown operation against militants in Pakistan's tribal region of Khyber Friday. — AP

PESHAWAR, Sept 5 (AP): Pakistani troops killed 43 suspected militants and destroyed one of their bases in an ongoing operation in the northwestern Khyber tribal region, authorities said Saturday.
Militants frequently attack trucks along the famed Khyber Pass, one of the main routes used to ferry supplies to NATO and US forces in neighbouring Afghanistan.
The Taliban-affiliated group Lashkar-e-Islam has been a main target of the latest government offensive, which authorities say has killed scores of alleged militants.
The paramilitary Frontier Corps announced the latest deaths in a written statement.
"An important markaz (headquarters) of Lashkar-e-Islam being used as the hide-out and main training center was also destroyed in the action," the statement said.
The remote region is largely off-limits to journalists, making it difficult to verify the information independently.