NORTH WAZIRISTAN: At least 13 terrorists were reportedly killed and several others injured as militant hideouts near the Afghan border were targeted by security forces in the North Waziristan tribal district, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Although there was no official word from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), sources said 13 militants, including a key commander of the outla­wed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakis­­tan (TTP), were killed and several others wounded in two separate actions, which took place in the Gaz­um Mandi area of North Waziristan’s Shawal tehsil.

The attacks were carried out on different hideouts of terrorists in the area, locals said, adding that the dead also included a key TTP commander, who was said to be the mastermind of a number of suicide attacks.

Sources also said that two other commanders, Gauhar and Abu Bakr alias Mohsin, were injured in the attacks.

Locals said a cloud of dark smoke billowed from their hideout following the security operation. They said many militants abandoned the bodies of their accomplices and fled.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024