PESHAWAR: Seven militants were killed and five others injured in a fierce exchange of fire with security forces in Kurram district on Thursday, the military’s media wing said.

The intelligence-based operation targeted a location in Kurram where militants were reportedly hiding, the Inter- Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. During the operation, security forces effectively engaged the militants, killing seven and injuring five.

The ISPR said the militants killed in the operation had been actively involved in numerous attacks against both security forces and civilians. Security forces also busted the hideouts of the militants and recovered a large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives.

A follow-up sanitisation operation was ongoing in the area to eliminate any remaining militant presence. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,” the ISPR said.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lauded the armed forces for their successful operation in Kurram. According to a statement from the prime minister’s media office, PM Shehbaz stated that the armed forces of Pakistan had worked tirelessly round the clock to rid the country of the “Khawarij terrorist threat”.

The military’s media wing reported on July 29 that five militants were killed in a series of operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In one operation in Mohmand district, three militants, including a commander known as Qari, were neutralised, and a large cache of arms and explosives was recovered.

“However, during an intense fire exchange, Police Constable Abrar Hussain, a resident of district Swabi, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom,” the ISPR said.

Meanwhile, in Bajaur, Havildar Alam Zeb was martyred in a midnight attack on a police post by unknown assailants. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, which took place two days after an IED explosion in the hilly area of Barang tehsil that killed a local elder and wounded another.

In Swat, Constable Mushtaq Ahmed, who was injured in an attack on the Sambat police checkpost, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday. The attack, which also targeted the Telegram police station, occurred on Wednesday night.

Malakand Regional Police Officer Muhammad Ali Khan, Swat DPO Dr Zahidullah and other officials attended Mr Ahmed’s funeral and paid tribute to his sacrifice.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2024