Officials and local residents said the security troops, supported by tanks and armored personnel carriers, secured Nawagai town, Dawn reported. Wednesday.

Residents said militants offered no resistance and had begun vacating their positions. The town is adjacent to Afghanistan's Kunar province, the Pakistani newspaper said.

After Lowi Sam, Nawagai is the second major town in the region to be secured, officials said.

Meanwhile jet fighters and helicopters hit suspected militant positions in the Mohmand tribal region Wednesday, reportedly killing nearly two dozen people, officials said.

The airstrikes were carried out in four areas. Unconfirmed reports indicated 14 militants and seven civilians were killed, but the casualties couldn't be confirmed independently, Dawn said.

Locals said they saw four helicopter gunships targeting suspected positions and that heavy bombing also damaged telecommunication facilities.