Pak jets kill 26 Taliban in Orakzai

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ORAKZAI, Pakistan, Mar 30 (Reuters): Pakistani fighter planes bombed Taliban positions in the northwestern tribal region of Orakzai Tuesday, killing 26 militants and destroying some of their hideouts, a government official said.
A semi-autonomous region, Orakzai is considered a militant stronghold of Pakistan Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, widely believed to have been killed in a US drone aircraft attack in January.
Homegrown Taliban militants are seeking to topple the US-backed government of unpopular President Asif Ali Zardari.
The government official in the region, Asghar Khan, told Reuters that aircraft carried out bombings in various parts of Orakzai.
He said 26 Taliban were killed in the bombing.
Pakistan's military has recently stepped up operations against militants in Orakzai. Security officials say forces killed about 100 militants in clashes last week, but there has been no independent verification of these figures.