Islamabad, Oct 21 (IANS) At least 28 militants were killed when the Pakistani army launched an air strike in the country’s northwest tribal town of Datta Khel Tuesday, military said.

In a statement, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouthpiece of the Pakistani army, said that the operation was launched in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, a militancy-infested tribal area on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

“In precise aerial strikes today (Tuesday) in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan, 28 terrorists were killed including foreigners,” Xinhua quoted the ISPR statement as saying.

The military did not mention the identities of the targeted and killed militants.

Quoting sources from tribal areas, local Urdu TV channel Dawn said that a key Taliban commander was also killed in the strike that destroyed four militant hideouts.

Tuesday’s strike is a continuation of the ongoing armed offensive “Operation Zarb-e-Azb” by the army in North Waziristan agency.

The operation has so far claimed the lives of over 1,200 militants and injured many others.

The operation was launched June 15 following a militant attack on Karachi’s international airport after the failure of peace talks between the government and militants’ negotiators.