Three soldiers of Pakistan Rangers (Punjab) lost their lives in an exchange of fire with suspected militants in Dera Ghazi Khan on Friday morning, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

ISPR said "9-10 hardcore terrorists" affiliated with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed during the joint security operation launched by Rangers, intelligence agencies and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) personnel near Choti Zareen area of Punjab's Dera Ghazi Khan district.

The suspected militants and their facilitators were holed up in a hideout in Basti Dadwani near Choti Zareen, 15 kilometres south of DG Khan when the raid was launched.

The ensuing exchange of fire killed at least nine militants including Muhammad Asghar Dadwani alias Ustad Gorchani and Muhammad Naeem alias Waqas Dadwani, ISPR said.

The Punjab Rangers personnel slain in the shootout were identified as Havaldar Asif, Sepoy Aftab and Sepoy Azizullah.

Two soldiers who sustained injuries were airlifted to Combined Military Hospital Multan by an army helicopter.

"The operation is still continuing to flush the area of terrorists who were involved in heinous crimes, ransom and terrorist activities," the military's media wing said.

The raid is a part of ongoing Operation Raddul Fasaad, which the army launched in February following a spate of terror attacks in the country, which claimed more than a hundred lives and left hundreds others injured.

The operation seeks to eliminate the "residual/latent threat of terrorism", consolidating the gains made in other military operations, and further ensuring the security of Pakistan's borders.

Hundreds of suspected terrorists have reportedly either been killed or arrested in raids carried out by security personnel since the start of the operation.

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...