Air strikes kill 40 militants in northwest Pakistan

The government has been trying to engage the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in peace talks to end the decade-long insurgency that has claimed about 40,000 lives. 

However, the peace process suffered a setback a Taliban faction killed 23 paramilitary personnel abducted in 2010. 

The military leadership took the civilian government into confidence, citing potential threats from terrorists holed up in their safe havens in the tribal belt.

The sources said the air strikes were aimed at protecting the people as militants were making plans to carry out attacks.

The air strikes came hours after the military in a rare move gave out casualty figures since an All-Parties Conference in September decided that talks were the way out to tackle the Taliban.

“Innocent people (308 civilians, 114 military, 38 police) have embraced martyrdom and 1,264 (684 civilians, 531 military, 49 police) were injured due to terrorist acts throughout the country since the All-Parties Conference,” a military official said.