Pakistan Forces Kill 40 Local, Foreign Militants: Army

"Today in precise aerial strikes five terrorists hideouts and ammunition dumps were destroyed and 40 terrorists including foreigners were killed in villages Nawae Killi and Zaram Asar in area north of Datta Khel in North Waziristan Agency," an army statement said.

The strikes were part of the major military operation launched in North Waziristan in June after rare peace dialogue collapsed. The region was considered as the biggest sanctuary of the Pakistani and foreign militants.

The army says over 1,000 militants have been killed since the operation was launched, Xinhua reported.

Independent confirmation of the figure is not possible as media persons are now allowed to visit the areas.

The operation uprooted nearly 1 million people who now live in camps, rented houses or with communities in nearby districts.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured a tribal jirga from North Waziristan that the displaced people will soon be repatriated to their homes.

The military has not yet given any deadline for the repatriation of the dislocated people, who complain of lack of facilities in camps in Bannu, a main city near North Waziristan.

The army says the security forces have cleared some 90 percent of areas of the militants in major towns in the region including its headquarters Miranshah and Mir Ali, a stronghold of the militants.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and dozens of other groups had established hideouts in North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan.