Officials: Army pounds suspected insurgents’ hideouts, kills 7 in northwest Pakistan

Officials: Army kills 7 insurgents in NW Pakistan

PARACHINAR, Pakistan — Officials say Pakistani security forces have killed seven suspected insurgents in the Orakzai tribal region near Afghanistan.

Local official Jahanzeb Khan says security forces used heavy artillery to pound suspected insurgents’ hideouts in Babgram area of lower Orakzai on Wednesday.

Two intelligence officials also confirmed the clash on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

Taliban insurgents fleeing a separate army offensive in South Waziristan are believed to have established new bases in Orakzai, prompting escalated military action there since March.