Security operations kill 9 militants in N. Pakistan

At least nine "terrorists" were killed in two separate security operations in Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province bordering Afghanistan, said Pakistan military on Monday. A press release by Pakistan military's media wing Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that an intelligence based operation was conducted in Khyber District, where seven terrorists including two commanders were killed by the Security Forces. "The killed terrorists were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were wanted by Law Enforcement Agencies," said ISPR. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed terrorists. Moreover, another operation by security forces conducted in Lakki Marwat district of KPK effectively engaged terrorists' location resulting in killing of two more terrorists, the military said. "Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any terrorist found in the area as the Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country". The operations followed the federal government announcement that it would launch a new counter-terrorism operation named "Azam e Istehkam" against the militants. The announcement comes at a time when Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terror attacks especially in KPK and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan after the banned outfit Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended the ceasefire agreement with the government last year. Source: Kuwait News Agency