ISLAMABAD, Sep 28 (Asia Free Press): At least 10 terrorists including four key commanders killed in army operation in Northwestern Pakistan near Afghanistan border, the military said on Tuesday.
In a statement, Pakistan army said that Security Forces conducted Intelligence Based Operation in South Waziristan District on reported presence of a Terrorists’ concentration, present inside a hide out.
“Security forces cordoned the hide out. During intense exchange of fire, 10 terrorists including 4 terrorist commanders were killed,” the military media-wing ISPR said.
During the operation weapons and large quantity of ammunition was also recovered from the hideout.
All the killed terrorists remained actively involved in planting IEDs, conducting fire raids and target killing of innocent civilians.
These terrorists were planning to conduct more acts of terrorism inside South Waziristan District, its added.
Pakistan Army is determined to root out the menace of terrorism from country at all costs, the statement concluded.
North and South Waziristan districts – once dubbed the heartland of militancy in Pakistan – are among the seven former semi-autonomous tribal regions where the army has conducted a series of operations since 2014 to eliminate the TTP, according to Anadolu Agency.
The areas, including North and South Waziristan, were given the status of districts and merged with the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in 2018.
More than 5,000 suspected militants and over 700 soldiers have been killed in aerial strikes, clashes, and land mine blasts over the past seven years. The figures, however, cannot be independently verified as media access to the former tribal areas is restricted.
The successive operations have pushed the TTP towards neighboring Afghanistan, and Islamabad claims the “terrorist network” has now set up bases across the border to attack Pakistani security forces.
The military operations have also displaced over a million people, but the Pakistani government said 95% of them have returned to their homes.
