RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed eight terrorists in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in South Waziristan, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday night.
According to the military’s media wing, the forces conducted the operation in the general area of Sararogha over the reported presence of terrorists.
“During the conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between troops and terrorists, resulting in the killing of eight terrorists,” said the statement.
The ISPR said that the slain militants remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as innocent civilians.
The security forces also recovered arms, ammunition and explosives from their possession.
The operation is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country, the ISPR added.
Last week, two soldiers were martyred when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near a convoy of security forces in North Waziristan district’s Razmak area.
The soldiers who lost their lives were identified as Lance Naik Ehsan Badshah, 33, a resident of Karak district, and Lance Naik Sajid Hussain, 30, a resident of Kurram district.
Pakistan has faced a surge in terrorism in recent months, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant outfits intensifying their actions against security forces.
In response, the state has also launched operations to curb terrorism.
Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), in a report released in October, noted that the security forces lost at least 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high.
In the third quarter of 2023, some 445 people lost their lives and 440 suffered injuries from as many as 190 terror attacks and counter-terror operations.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for nearly 94% of all fatalities and 89% of attacks (including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations) recorded during this period.
