PESHAWAR (APP/AFP/Reuters) - Forces on Saturday killed at least 57 militants and destroyed their headquarters in the Khyber tribal area bordering Afghanistan, a government official said. The Khyber Pass is a main route for supplies being trucked from Karachi to Western forces battling al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Afghanistan. Helicopter gunships, paramilitary troops and artillery units carried out the attack on a Lashkar-i-Islam headquarters in the Tirah valley, a security official in Peshawar told AFP. At least 57 militants were killed and 107 others arrested during the operation, Political Agent of Khyber Agency Tariq Hayat Khan told the media persons at Shakas Fort in Bara. A spokesman for the paramilitary Frontier Corps said that dozens of militants were killed, but the toll could not be confirmed through independent sources as the area is under military control. Forces have been fighting an offensive in the area after a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a police barracks near the Torkham border crossing between the two countries on August 28, killing 22 security personnel. Today (Saturday) the security forces destroyed the hideouts and a training centre of the Lashkar-i-Islam in Tirah valley, heavy casualties of militants are expected, said an earlier Frontier Corps statement. Security forces on Thursday destroyed the vacated house of Mangal Bagh, the hardline chief of the group. He had already escaped to the mountains, officials said. Bagh is accused by officials of running torture centres and private jails and running a Taliban-style system in some parts of Khyber tribal district. The operation would continue until the militants are completely eliminated, Political Agent Tariq added. He informed that curfew, imposed due to operation, will be regularly relaxed from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Earlier, Maj Abid of Frontier Corps informed newsmen that huge quantity of explosive was seized during the operation. The airstrikes come as troops continue mopping up militant positions in the Swat valley, where the military says more than 2,000 militants have been killed since an offensive was launched in April. In Swat, security forces killed a militant commander and arrested five others, according to a military statement. Another seven militants surrendered to security forces. Troops also destroyed two militant hideouts in the neighbouring Dir region, the military said. Online adds: The security forces backed by jet fighters bombarded militants hideouts in different areas of Lower Orakzai Agency, killing more than 10 extremists. Over 10 extremists were killed when security forces jet fighters pounded militants hideouts in Feroz Khel, Anjani and Sultan Zai areas of Orakzai Agency. More than 10 hideouts of militants were targeted and they were completely destroyed in the security forces action, sources said. The local population also been affected with the security forces bombardment and various houses were damaged. The recent action of security forces caused fear among the locals. It is merit mentioning here that the security forces launched major offensive against anti-state elements in Khyber Agency, Orakzai Agency, Mohmand Agency, Swat, Dir, Buner, South Wazirisitan and other tribal areas. Score of militants have been killed and apprehended in the operations so far. The security forces vowed to carry out operation till complete elimination of terrorists and extremists. The military has also achieved major success in war against terrorism by dismantling terrorists network and arresting top commanders and killing more than 14,000 terrorists in Malakand division. As a result of operation Rah-e-Rast in Swat and operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan, the law and order situation has improved in violence-hit NWFP.