Bajaur shootout leaves four terrorists dead: ISPR

PESHAWAR: Terrorists armed with assault rifles attacked security forces in Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghanistan border late Monday, triggering a shootout that left four terrorists killed, the army said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Bajaur which is a former militant stronghold.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the three civilians and two soldiers also were martyred by militant fire.

The statement said the army was “determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and (that) such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent citizens further strengthen our resolve.”

The northwestern tribal regions, which share a lengthy porous border with Afghanistan, for years served as a safe haven for terrorists until the military carried out massive operations to try to clear the area. That forced the terrorists to escape into Afghanistan or hide in other areas near the border. But such terrorist attacks on troops have continued in recent years in the region.