The military's media wing on Sunday said that the army has cleared two strongholds of terrorists in the Rajgal valley during the ongoing Operation Khyber-IV.

The Spinkai Top dominating Saprai Pass and Star Kille have been secured and are "effectively dominated by the Pakistan Army", read a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

The army was targeting terrorist hideouts "by artillery and army aviation" which has dismantled terrorists who are "on the run", the ISPR quoted IG FC Major General Shaheen. The operational commander further said that Khyber-IV was progressing as planned.

On Saturday, the army announced that it had completed the first phase of Operation Khyber-IV in the Rajgal area of Khyber Agency after gaining control of a key mountain top.

“Khyber-IV’s Phase-I has been completed after clearance of Brekh Muhammad Kandao,” ISPR said in an update on the operation that started last Sunday.

Two soldiers have been martyred in the operation in which over 90 square kilometres of a total of 250 square kilometres have been cleared.

ISPR Director General Major Genral Abdul Ghafoor had announced the launch of Operation Khyber-IV under Radd-ul-Fassad last week to "wipe out terrorists" in the Rajgal Valley of Khyber Agency that he called "the most critical area in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas".

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