Pakistan's military guns down eight 'terrorists' during cross-firing in South Waziristan

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouth-piece of the Pakistani Armed Forces, said on Wednesday that eight individuals whom Pakistan's security services referred to as "terrorists" were killed during an operation in South Waziristan, reported ARY News. 

The security personnel launched an offensive after learning there were terrorists within South Waziristan's Zinghara area, as reported by the media wing of the Pakistani Army, and eight "terrorists" were reportedly killed in a gunfight between them. According to the ISPR, two Pakistan Army soldiers were hurt during the operation, while two children have been killed in the launcehd offensive. 

Security personnel sanitised the area after an intelligence-based operation (IBO)

DG ISPR in a statment said: "Upon presence of information of terrorists in Zinghara area of South Waziristan, security forces carried out an operation. During intense exchange of fire between security forces and terrorists including mortar fire, eight terrorists have been killed, whereas two soldiers are injured."

According to ARY News, security forces recently killed five "terrorists" in an operation that followed an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in North Waziristan's Datta Khel general region the day before. The ISPR said that security personnel sanitised the area after an intelligence-based operation (IBO) that was carried out in the North and South Waziristan Districts. "During intense exchange of fire, five more terrorists were killed," the ISPR said.

The dead terrorists' arsenals, ammo, and a sizeable amount of equipment were also found. The Pakistani Army is resolutely committed to eradicating the threat of terrorism from every square inch of our country, reported ARY News. Locals "appreciated the security forces responded and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the area," according to the ISPR.

The TTP intends to establish Sharia law across Pakistan: US State Department

An earlier US State Department report had cautioned that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was aiming to drive the government of Pakistan out of the province and establish Sharia by waging a terrorist campaign against the military and state, according to the Dawn. This warning was made in light of the rise in criminal cases and the attack on police in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

The TTP trains and disperses its operatives across the tribal region along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, according to the 2021 Country Reports on Terrorism. According to a US State Department assessment, TTP receives doctrinal direction from Al Qaeda, and some AQ members rely on TTP for refuge in the Pashtun regions along the Afghan-Pakistani border.

"This arrangement has given TTP access to both AQ's global terrorist network and its member's operational expertise," the report stated. Also, the report claims that Pakistan "experienced significant terrorist activity" in the year in review 2021. The research highlighted the connection between economic stagnation and terrorism by stating that "the United States provides assistance to support trade and economic growth" in Pakistan, according to Dawn.

(With ANI Inputs)