Security forces kill 22 terrorists in North Waziristan operation, says ISPR

ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed 22 terrorists in an operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, according to the military’s media wing.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said a sanitisation operation had been under way since May 17 in the Shewa general area of North Waziristan. The military said the action was launched on the basis of credible intelligence about the presence of khwarij.

The state uses the term Fitna al Khawarij for militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to the ISPR, troops engaged the militants’ location during the operation and, after what it described as an intense exchange of fire, 22 militants linked to what it called Indian-sponsored Fitna al Khawarij were killed over the last 24 hours.

The military’s statement said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the dead militants. Those killed had been actively involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area.

The ISPR further said evidence confirmed that the militants had coerced and intimidated local civilians.

Operation ongoing in Shewa area

The military said the sanitisation operation in the Shewa area began on May 17 and was continuing on the basis of intelligence leads regarding the presence of militants there.

The statement described the operation as part of efforts to clear the area of militants and said troops had effectively engaged the identified location during the action.

No additional operational details were provided in the statement beyond the account of the exchange of fire, the number of militants killed, and the recovery of weapons and ammunition.

Official statement

In its statement, the ISPR said:

based on credible intelligence leads with respect to the presence of khwarij

Describing the outcome of the latest phase of the operation, the military’s media wing said:

effectively engaged khwarij location and after [an] intense exchange of fire, 22 khwarij belonging to Indian sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij have [been] sent to hell

It also said the recovered weapons and ammunition had been found with militants who had remained involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.

The announcement adds to a series of official statements in recent months regarding operations against militants in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other regions. In this case, the military’s account specifically identified North Waziristan’s Shewa area as the site of the ongoing operation and said the action had been continuing since May 17.

The ISPR statement did not provide further details in the portion of the report available, but it said evidence had confirmed that the militants had used coercion and intimidation against local residents.