PESHAWAR: Two alleged militants were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district on Sunday.

A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read that security forces planned an intelligence based operation (IBO) following reports of presence of militants in the area.

An intense gun battle took place between security forces and militants which left two militants — Nawaz alias Gandapuri and Mohsin Nawaz — dead, it said.

“Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against the security forces as well as innocent civilians including target killings and extortion,” the ISPR read.

It read that sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other militant found in the area, adding that security forces were determined to wipe out the menace of militancy from the country.

On April 22, an ISPR statement said that 11 militants were killed in IBOs carried out by security forces in two areas of the province, adding that the first operation was carried out in Dera Ismail Khan district following the reported presence of militants there.

Ten militants were killed in the gun battle with security forces, it said, adding that a second encounter took place in North Waziristan district where security forces effectively engaged militants’ location and killed one militant.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2024