21 terrorists killed in North Waziristan in 72 hours: ISPR
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ISLAMABAD: Security forces have killed 21 terrorists during intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan over the past 72 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday. In a statement, the military’s media affairs wing said multiple terrorist locations were targeted in the Miranshah area and its surroundings. “Following fierce fire exchanges, in [the] last 72 hours, 21 more khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij, including four kharji ring leaders (Kharji Khalid Raza alias Salar, Kharji Muftoon, Kharji Musa and Kharji Imran alias Ayan) have been sent to hell, thereby causing a significant blow to the khwarijs’ network operating in the area,” the ISPR said. The term Fitna al-Khawarij is used by the state to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates. According to the ISPR, the slain ring leaders were “highly wanted for their involvement in numerous terrorist activities, including killing of security forces personnel and innocent civilians”. It noted that since the operations began last week, with 27 terrorists killed over 72 hours earlier, a total of 48 terrorists have been killed in the “highly skillful and precise operations”. Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, the ISPR said, stressing that they remained actively involved in several terrorist activities, including targeting innocent civilians. Sanitisation operations will continue to eliminate the remaining holed up terrorists from the areas, the statement said. Bannu operation An alleged militant commander and two other people were killed in separate incidents in KP’s Bannu district, the local Police Peace Committee said on Saturday. It added that Shahid, said to be a close associate and facilitator of militant commander Akhtar Muhammad and allegedly involved in several terrorist activities, was killed near Kangar Bridge during an operation on Friday night. In a separate incident, two bo