巴基斯坦称打死至少80名激进分子

Pakistan’s military says it has killed at least 80 Islamist militants and lost seven soldiers in fierce fighting near the mountainous Afghan border.

The clashes have been taking place in the remote Tirah Valley in the insurgency-plagued northwestern Khyber tribal district.

Army spokesman Major General Asim Bajwa reported “steady progress” in the counter-terrorism operation with code name Khyber-II, saying it is aimed at clearing areas close to Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan.

The militants, officials say, belonged to the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, an alliance of extremist outfits waging an insurgency against the state. Army jets have also pounded suspected militant positions in the areas over the past two days.

A spokesman for the group claimed the army death toll is much higher. Independent confirmation of the fighting details is not possible because journalists and aid groups have no access to the conflict zone.

战斗发生在反政府武装活动频繁的开伯尔部落地区的提拉山谷。

巴基斯坦陆军发言人巴杰瓦少将说，反恐行动取得了稳固进展，代号“开伯尔二号”行动的目标是肃清靠近阿富汗边界的地区

巴基斯坦官员说，被取缔的巴基斯坦塔利班的一些激进分子在开伯尔地区发起了联合攻击行动。巴基斯坦政府军的飞机两天以来对该地区怀疑是激进分子目标的地点进行了轰炸。

激进分子团伙的发言人说，政府军的伤亡大大高于政府公布的数字。记者和救援团体被禁止进入冲突地区，有关冲突的消息无法得到独立渠道的证实。