ISLAMABAD    -     The security forces have killed six terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in general area Kot Azam, South Waziristan District, said the media wing of the military on Wednesday.

The ISPR in a statement said yes­terday that on 23 May 2023, the security forces conducted an in­telligence-based operation in the general area Kot Azam, South Wa­ziristan District, on the reported presence of terrorists.

During the operation, intense fire took place between the security forces and terrorists, resulting in the killing of six terrorists, said the me­dia wing of the military.

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed ter­rorists who remained actively in­volved in terrorist activities against security forces as well as extortion and targeted killing of innocent cit­izens. Sanitization of the area was carried out to eliminate any terror­ists found in the area.

Locals of the area have appreciat­ed the operation and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism, according to the ISPR.

A suicide bomber detonated an ex­plosion with his explosive-laden car in Dattakhel Bazaar in North Wa­ziristan tribal district on Wednes­day, martyring four persons includ­ing two army soldiers and a police officer. Another soldier and a police­man also suffered critical injuries in the incident that took place at the Li­aqat Checkpost in the area.

The ISPR in a statement said that on 24 May 2023, a vehicle-borne suicide bomber exploded himself in general area Datta Khel, North Waziristan District. Resultantly, Naik Said Ullah Shah (33), resident of Charsadda and Sepoy Jawad Khan (31), resident of District Har­ipur of Pakistan Army, Police Con­stable Hakeem Jan, resident of North Waziristan District of Khy­ber-Pakhtunkhawa Police Depart­ment and an innocent Civilian em­braced martyrdom. It further said that the suicide bomber had in­tended to target a public gathering but swift response by the security forces personnel prevented a ma­jor catastrophe as the soldiers im­mediately intercepted the suicide bomber vehicle on suspicion, sac­rificing their lives to save numer­ous innocent lives.

The ISPR said that the security forces and law-enforcement agen­cies of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave sol­diers and innocent citizens further strengthen their resolve.

According to some sources, the as­sault also harmed several other peo­ple. North Waziristan has remained a stronghold of the TTP in the past.

No one has so far immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Since the TTP unilaterally aban­doned a truce with the Pakistani government that had been mediat­ed by the neighbouring Afghanistan last year, the group’s assaults have increased over the past six months.

Another attack on an oil and gas facility on Wednesday, this time in Hangu, a region of Khyber Pa­khtunkhwa near the Afghan bor­der, was claimed by the TTP. The attack had claimed four lives, in­cluding security men and two pri­vate guards.