PESHAWAR: A militant was killed and a sepoy martyred in separate clashes in North and South Waziristan, the military’s media wing said on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an exchange of fire took place between security forces and militants in the Razmak of North Waziristan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The security forces effectively engaged the militants and gunned down one of them. Weapons and ammunition were recovered during the operation, the ISPR said.

The second shootout took place in the Karama area of South Waziristan, resulting in the martyrdom of a sepoy.

“Naik Fazal Janan, resident of District Hangu, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom,” the ISPR statement said, adding that a sanitisation operation was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

The security forces are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further stren­gthen our resolve, it said.

This is the second counter-terrorism operation in the tribal area, close to the Afghanistan border in less than a week.

On Wednesday, an alleged militant commander and his seven associates were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) carried out in the Shinwarsak area of South Waziristan.

A sepoy was martyred while four others, including two officers, sustained injuries during the IBO.

Earlier on March 10, five terrorists were killed during IBOs in North and South Waziristan districts.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2023