The sources said the gun battle started when the militants attacked the troops heading towards Zokhtan area from two directions which result three soldiers dead, while the other six wounded were airlifted to the Combined Military Hospital, Kohat.
The security forces returned the fire and killed 30 militants and injured several others by using heavy weapons against them, the sources reported. The forces also destroyed two vehicles of the militants.
Since March this year, the Pakistan Army has been taking action against the TTP in Orakzai Agency. While the guns are silent in the lower tehsil of the agency after the first part of the military operation was completed, intense fighting was reported from upper tehsil of Orakzai as the insurgents were entrenched in the area.