RAWALPINDI – Since the last phase of Zarb-e-Azb military operation kicked off in February, at least 252 militants have been killed and 160 severely injured, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement on Sunday. “Major terrorist hubs” in Mana, Gurbaz, Lataka, Inzarkas and Magrotai areas have been cleared of militants, it added. According to the statement, at least 640-square-kilometre area has been cleared from terrorists in Shawal whereas their hideouts located at 9,000 feet above land have also been destroyed. “Terrorists’ hideouts were destroyed, a cache of arms and ammunition recovered and there was virtually no communications infrastructure remaining in the Shawal area once the operation was launched in Feb this year,” the statement said. Zarb-e-Azb was launched in North Waziristan nearly two years ago after a brazen militant attack on Karachi’s international airport and the failure of peace talks between the government and the Taliban.