Pakistan airstrikes kill 30 militants

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- A spokesman for the Pakistani army said 30 militants were killed Saturday during airstrikes in the country's Shawal region.

Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas said Saturday's attacks by security forces targeted suspected militant hideouts in the tribal region, CNN reported.

Abbas said militants moved into the Shawal region after the military began targeting Taliban forces in the surrounding area of South Waziristan last October.

Abbas told CNN the intelligence behind the attacks was obtained via a tip from residents.

"It's a local intelligence network which is expanding in the area," the army spokesman said.