[The News (Pak) Top Stories] Security forces killed six militants and arrested another two in Chapri Ferozkhel area on the border between Khyber and Orakzai Agencies, tribal sources told The News on Friday. However, security officials claimed they had killed 15 militants in three separate areas of Bara, a sub-division of the Khyber Agency.According to local sources, security forces entered Chapri Ferozkhel area on Thursday night and the fighting with the militants left six of them dead. Two other militants were arrested. Bodies of the slain militants and the two arrested persons were brought to Bara by security forces.
Helicopter gunships continued pounding Chapri Ferozkhel and the surrounding areas on Thursday night and throughout Friday. Heavy artillery was also used against the suspected Taliban positions in the area all the day, but there were no reports of casualties.
Meanwhile, FC officials said that they had captured the villages of Mamaray, Shaheeda Killay and Merikhel following clashes with militants on Friday.
An FC spokesperson said 15 militants were killed and several others injured in the fighting. One ammunition dump of militants was also destroyed, said the FC officials.
The spokesperson said security forces had surrounded the important Chapri Ferozkhel base of militants on the border between Khyber and Orakzai Agencies. All the entry and exit points to the area had been blocked by security forces, which were trying to kill or arrest the militants hiding in the area.
The FC sources told The News that fighting in the area was still continuing and security forces were using helicopters and heavy artillery against the militants holed up in the Chapri Ferozkhel area.
The operation, Khwakh Ba De Sham, was launched in Bara area of Khyber Agency three days ago.