'Pak air strike inflicts heavy casualties on militants'

Pakistani fighter jets and helicopter gunships on Thursday destroyed a militant facility in the restive northwest, inflicting heavy casualties.

Pakistani fighter jets and helicopter gunships on Thursday destroyed a militant facility in the restive northwest, inflicting heavy casualties, security officials said.

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The air strike targeted a militant stronghold in Piochar, a village in the Swat valley, which has been the site of numerous clashes and bombings since last year.

"Helicopter gunships and jets targeted militant strongholds in Piochar inflicting heavy casualties on them, but a count was not available immediately," a security official told AFP.

"The successful air strike destroyed the targeted militant facility completely," the official said, requesting anonymity.

The Swat valley, once a scenic tourist destination, has been turned into a battleground since pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law in the region.