Peshawar, Oct 9 (PTI) At least seven militants connected to the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were neutralized in an intelligence-led operation in Pakistan's volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as announced by military sources on Thursday. An army Major also lost his life during the operation, which took place on Wednesday, according to the military's media arm.
The operation unfolded in the Daraban area of Dera Ismail Khan district, based on intelligence regarding the presence of TTP militants, also referred to as "Fitna al-Khwarij," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) detailed in its statement. Last year, the Pakistani government designated TTP as "Fitna al-Khawarij," drawing parallels to a historical group involved in violence during early Islamic times.
Seven terrorists from the banned organization were "sent to hell," the statement emphasized. During the fierce exchange of gunfire, an army Major was also reported killed. The military recovered weapons and ammunition from the deceased militants, who had been actively participating in numerous terrorist acts against the armed forces and law enforcement bodies, in addition to the murder of innocent civilians. A clearing operation is underway to purge any remaining terrorists in the region.
The operation follows a day when 11 military personnel, among them a Lieutenant Colonel and a Major, were killed amid clashes with Taliban fighters during another intelligence-guided mission in the province bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence of militant activities, notably in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, after the TTP abandoned its ceasefire agreement with the government in November 2022, vowing to attack security forces, police, and law enforcement authorities.
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