Pakistani jets bombed militant hideouts in a lawless tribal district Saturday, killing scores of Uzbek and local insurgents in a massive ongoing offensive against the Taliban, the military said. <br /> <br />Air strikes were carried out at Miranshah, the main town of North Waziristan, and Boya village after shots were fired at troops, according to a statement. <br /> <br />"Five terrorists hideouts, caves and huge cache of arms and ammunition were destroyed and scores of terrorists killed in early morning strikes, silencing the firers," it said. <br /> <br />"Most of the terrorists killed in strikes were Uzbeks," the statement added without providing casualty figures. <br /> <br />The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, has had a large presence in Pakistan s tribal belt since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. <br /> <br />Last month Pakistan s military launched a long-awaited offensive in North Waziristan, aimed at wiping out longstanding militant strongholds in the area, which borders Afghanistan. <br /> <br />More than 500,000 people have fled the area with tens of thousands of families have leaving for the town of Bannu, close to North Waziristan.
