NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Two kidnappers were killed and two sustained injuries during an operation carried out by security forces to recover four employees of an oil and gas exploration company in Miramshah tehsil of North Waziristan tribal district on Saturday.

Unknown persons had kidnapped the employees of Marri Petroleum on Friday night.

“The four abducted employees [of Marri Petroleum] have been recovered. Two of their kidnappers have been killed and two injured during the operation,” a senior police official told Dawn, adding that a soldier also sustained injuries during the operation.

Four officials of the oil and gas exploration company had been kidnapped from Anghar village on the outskirts of Miramshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan. The employees, including Faisal Raza, Mohammad Ejaz, Sagheer and Maqbool, were conducting a survey in the area. They were kidnapped by unidentified people while returning to their base late on Friday.

Police officials said that security forces had received information from intelligence agencies that kidnappers were hiding in Khatikala village. They added that the area was surrounded and an operation was launched to recover the abducted employees.

“Two kidnappers were killed and as many injured during an exchange of fire between them and the security forces,” police officials said, adding that an army soldier also sustained injuries, who was shifted to hospital.

Marri Petroleum has been exploring oil and gas in Spinwam and Shawa areas of the district for the last few years.

Published in Dawn, January 22nd, 2023