DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Two militants of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Gandapur group, were killed while four hand-grenades, IEDs, weapons and ammunition were recovered during an operation conducted by the police here on Saturday.

According to a handout, police had received a report from an intelligence agency about the presence of the terrorists in the Gundi Ashiq area.

On receiving the report, members of the Kulachi police and Elite Force reached the spot and cordoned off the area.

On seeing the police, the terrorists opened fire which was returned. During the exchange of fire, two terrorists were killed.

Police later seized four hand-grenades, IEDs, weapons, ammunition and other explosive materials from the terrorist hideout.

The slain men were identified as Haji Akbar and Ajab Khan aka Usman. They belonged to the banned Gandapur Group of the TTP. They were wanted by security forces in several attacks on personnel of Dera police, security forces and law-enforcement agencies.

Three security men injured

At least three security personnel were injured while their vehicle was damaged in a roadside bomb blast in the Gara Bakhtiar area of Kulachi.

The injured personnel were taken to Command Military Hospital (CMH), Dera Ismail Khan. The area was later cordoned off and a search operation was launched, a police official said here on Saturday.

The official said that a convoy of security forces in Gara Bakhtiar village of Kulachi Tehsil was hit by a remote-controlled roadside bomb planted by unknown attackers, injuring at least three security personnel.

The blast severely damaged a vehicle of security forces. After the blast, a heavy contingent of police and security forces along with a bomb disposal squad reached the area, cordoned off the spot and launched a search operation.

In another incident, a hand-grenade was recovered during cleaning of the Maternal and Child Centre in Thoya Siyal within the limits of Cantonment Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan.

The bomb disposal squad seized the grenade and defused it.

A maid named Allah Wasai found the hand grenade while cleaning a maternity centre in Thoya Siyal area, a police official said.

On the report of Centre in-charge Zaitun Bibi, Cantonment police, along with bomb disposal squad personnel reached the area, seized the grenade and defused it.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2021