KOHAT, Jan 10: At least seven militants were killed when security forces pounded the hills of Darra Admakhel with artillery shelling on the night between Wednesday and Thursday, official sources claimed.

They said that several other militants were injured in the shelling. They said that security forces targeted the hills of Darra Adamkhel after receiving information that militants, hiding there, could attack Kohat.

However, the claim of officials about killing of militants in the shelling couldn’t be confirmed through independent sources.

Sources said that the artillery fire mostly hit Bosti Khel, Buland Khel and Amay Kamay mountains for about half an hour, creating fear among the local people.

An official told Dawn that Darra Adamkhel was cleared of militants, who used to carry out terrorist activities in the semi-autonomous tribal region and Kohat last year. Security forces have now focused on stopping movement of militants between Orakzai Agency and Darra Adamkhel as both the regions are linked through mountains.—Correspondent