Security forces kill three militants in Pakistan’s northwest

ISLAMABAD: Three militants, who targeted a police check post in the country’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, were killed by Pakistani security forces on Tuesday who cordoned off the area to block all possible escape routes, said an official statement.
Pakistan has witnessed a major surged in militant violence in recent months after a proscribed network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), unilaterally called off its fragile ceasefire with the government in November.
The TTP is said to have its leadership in Afghanistan and has mostly targeted civilians and security forces in Pakistan’s western provinces of KP and Balochistan.
The recent operation, which was launched by the security forces in Dera Ismail Khan, took place in the early hours of Tuesday after information about the attack on the police installation was received.
“After intense exchange of fire, three terrorists were sent to hell,” said the military’s media wing, ISPR, in the statement. “Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the killed terrorists.”
The statement added that three security personnel, between the ages of 22 and 42, also lost their lives.
“Sanitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area,” the statement added. “Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”