Five Terrorists Killed in North Waziristan Intelligence-Based Operation
Five Terrorists Killed in North Waziristan Intelligence-Based Operation
Security forces killed five terrorists and injured two others in a North Waziristan operation on Tuesday, state media reported, as the military campaign against militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa intensifies.
The North Waziristan operation targeted militant hideouts in the district, according to Radio Pakistan. Security sources said the slain militants belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both commended the security forces for the successful action. “The timely and effective actions of the security forces are playing an important role in foiling the nefarious designs of terrorist elements,” the president said.
The prime minister reaffirmed that operations against terrorism would continue until the menace was completely eliminated, adding that eradicating terrorism and securing sustainable peace under the Azm-i-Istehkam vision remained the government’s top priority.
North Waziristan operation part of wider KP campaign
Tuesday’s strike is the latest in a string of operations across the province in recent weeks. On October 2, seven terrorists were killed in another intelligence-based operation in North Waziristan, while three were killed in Mir Ali on September 30 and five died in an operation in the Bara area a day earlier. On Monday, four terrorists were killed in an operation in DI Khan.
The stepped-up campaign follows a sharp deterioration in the security situation. Data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies shows Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August compared to 36 in July, a rise of 50 per cent.
September brought some of the deadliest militant attacks of the year. A suicide blast at the Aman Mela police checkpost in DI Khan’s Darazinda tehsil on September 26 killed 12 people and injured 35, while an attack on the old Police Lines in Kohat on September 18 killed 23 and injured around 100. An overnight clearance operation after the Kohat attack left eight terrorists dead.
The institute’s monthly figures show the province has seen a particularly sharp increase in the lethality of militant violence, with last month’s nationwide attack total the highest recorded in 12 years.
What happens next
The military has signalled no let-up. With the prime minister framing the counterterrorism drive under the Azm-i-Istehkam vision as the state’s foremost priority, further intelligence-based operations across KP’s militant-affected districts are expected in the coming days.
For residents of North Waziristan, the operations bring a familiar mix of relief and disruption. Past campaigns have been accompanied by temporary movement restrictions and communication blackouts, measures the authorities say are needed to protect troops and civilians during active engagements.
How many terrorists were killed in the North Waziristan operation?
Five terrorists were killed and two injured in Tuesday’s intelligence-based operation, according to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan. The operation targeted militant hideouts in the district.
Who were the militants?
Security sources said the militants belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, the official term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.
How bad is the security situation in KP?
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August, up 50 per cent from 36 in July, according to the Pak Institute for Peace Studies. September saw major attacks in DI Khan and Kohat that killed 35 people between them.
