Security forces killed 11 terrorists during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan’s Wana area, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday.
The military’s media wing said security forces had raided a hideout of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, killing 11 terrorists during an intense exchange of gunfire, including a TTP commander and two would-be suicide bombers. The assault, it said, had successfully “foiled a high-profile terrorist activity.”
Identifying the slain TTP commander as Hafizullah, it said the raid had also recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from the militants’ hideout. “The killed terrorists remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and target killing of police in South Waziristan district,” added the ISPR statement.
There has been a clear resurgence in terrorism across Pakistan since the banned TTP ended a ceasefire with Islamabad in November and urged its militants to target security forces “wherever you can.” In the past year, Pakistan suffered 376 terror attacks, according to the Center for Research Studies, which said the majority of these occurred in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Taking notice of the return of terrorism, the National Security Committee earlier this week stressed that there would be no compromise on Pakistan’s security and the full writ of the state would be maintained throughout its territory. It also warned—in a seeming reference to Afghanistan—that no country would be allowed to provide sanctuaries and facilitation to terrorists, and Pakistan reserves all rights to safeguard its people.