Security forces kill two terrorists in Mir Ali IBO

RAWALPINDI: Security forces have gunned down two terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said on Wednesday.

“On October 9, 2024, security forces conducted the operation in general area Mir Ali on the reported presence of Khwarij, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

During the conduct of the operation, the ISPR said an intense fire exchange took place between the security forces and terrorists, with two of them being killed.

“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from killed Khwarij [terrorists], who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as target killing of innocent civilians in the area,” it added.

The ISPR said the sanitisation operation was launched to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area as “security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country”.

Pakistan has experienced a spike in terrorism since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Most terror incidents are reported in provinces bordering the neighbouring country — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

On October 5, ISPR reported that a lieutenant colonel among six soldiers embraced martyrdom during a gun battle with terrorists in North Waziristan's Spinwam area.

“The exchange of fire between the two sides took place on the night between October 4-5, during which six Khwarij were also killed,” the military’s media wing had said.

"Lt Col Muhammad Ali Shaukat was leading the operation against the Khwarij when he and five soldiers were martyred as a result of intense exchange of fire," it had stated.