MIRAMSHAH: Two suspected terrorists were killed on Wednesday during a combing operation being carried out by security personnel in the Boya area of North Waziristan tribal district near the Afghan border, sources said.

According to officials, infantry units of the army and paramilitary forces had launched a joint combing and search operation against militants in several areas of Datakhel tehsil on Tuesday.

Bodies of the terrorists were handed over to the local administration. Residents were told to contact the administration to receive the bodies. Reports said that security forces had launched a search operation in Panga, Charkhel, Dadam, Sheen Kandai and Maidan areas of Datakhel.

Sources said that the operations were launched following a surge in attacks on the security forces in the area and from across the border. Seven soldiers have been martyred in gun and bomb attacks since May 1.

Three soldiers were martyred and seven others were injured on May 1 in a cross-border attack by a group of 60-70 terrorists. Four soldiers were martyred and eight more sustained injuries in two separate attacks in Datakhel and Razmak areas of North Waziristan on Monday.

Officials said that the Afghan National Army was also coordinating in the search operation and areas along the border had been sealed. They said that cross-border movement had been restricted in the wake of the operation.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2019