PESHAWAR The security forces killed 23 more militants and destroyed their three hideouts in Orakzai Agency with the help of gunship helicopters on Sunday. During fresh attacks launched against militants in Sangraam area of Orakzai Agency, the security forces pounded suspected hideouts of militants with the help of gunship helicopters and destroyed their three hideouts, besides killing 12 militants including a commander. Official sources denied killings of civilians in the aerial attacks carried out in various parts of Orakzai Agency on Saturday last. Over 100 casualties were reported during attacks on Saturday. The killed persons were all militants, official sources further informed, adding they were targeted when they attacked a checkpost of the security forces. In another development in Koz Chamarkand area of tehsil Lakrao in Mohmand Agency, militants damaged a government boys middle school partially with the help of explosive material, however no casualty was reported in the incident. Militants have destroyed a total of 37 schools so far in the Agency. Meanwhile in Rasha Gata locality of Mingora, Swat, law enforcement agencies recovered hand grenades and other explosive material from a bag lying near a mosque. The security forces also recovered 15 hand grenades and a huge cache of ammunition during its operation in Malalai area of tehsil Charbagh on Sunday. Agencies add: Soldiers backed by jets and helicopters clashed with Taliban in the northwestern Orakzai region on Sunday, killing more than 20 militants, government officials said. Three Taliban hideouts have been destroyed and 12 militants have been killed in Orakzai, Khaista Gul, a regional government official, told Reuters. Hours later, security forces clashed with militants near Kalaya, the main town of Orakzai, and killed 11 militants. The government forces have captured some important Taliban positions in the area, government official Sajjad Khan said. Three paramilitary personnel were also wounded in the fighting, a paramilitary official said. No further details of Sundays clashes were given by the officials. Security forces have stepped up assaults in the northwest over the past year, largely clearing militants from the Swat valley and the South Waziristan and Bajaur regions on the Afghan border. Security forces are now focusing on other areas, in particular Orakzai and Khyber, where militants who fled the earlier sweeps have taken refuge.