Islamabad, June 28, (RHC), – At least 17 Pro-Taliban militants have been killed in the Pakistani army’s most recent offensive on militant hideouts in the country’s tribal region.

Pakistani military officials said on Saturday that an air raid was carried out in the Darga-mandi and Chashma Gaon areas of North Waziri-stan.

“Jet fighters bombarded militant hideouts, killing 17 rebels and destroying their six compounds,” a senior Pakistani military official said.

Meanwhile, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) announced that more than half a million people in Pakistan have fled as a result of the military offensive in the region bordering Afghanistan.

The Pakistani army began the offensive against militant hideouts in the volatile tribal region on June 15.

The operation followed a raid by the pro-Taliban militants on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on June 8, in which 37 people were killed.