PESHAWAR: Pakistani fighter jets carried out air strikes early Sunday on suspected insurgent hideouts killing 35 suspected militants and injured more than 15 others in Tirah valley area of Pakistan’s restive Khyber tribal region, DawnNews reported.

According to security officials, during the air raid fighter jets targeted various hideouts in the Tirah valley of the Khyber Agency reportedly destroying an improvised explosives device (IEDs) making factory and a huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosive materials.

The raids came a days after at least nine suspected militants were killed when gunship helicopters pounded insurgent hideouts in Thall village in Hangu district,

On Feb 20, after consultations with the top military leadership of Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif gave a go ahead for the airstrikes in North Waziristan and Khyber agencies.

Khyber is part of Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal belt on the Afghan border. The Taliban and other al Qaeda-linked groups, who stage attacks in both countries, are known to have strongholds in the zone.