Pakistan kills seven terrorists near Afghan border

Pakistani security forces claimed to have killed at least seven terrorists and injured three others in a firefight in Pakistan’s restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan, sources said.

According to reports, the clashes erupted when militants crossed over from Afghanistan and attacked a Pakistani border post in north Waziristan tribal district.

The terrorists from across the Afghan border engaged in a ‘fire raid’ at the check-post in North Waziristan on Monday, prompting army officials to retaliate, the military said in a statement on Tuesday.

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“During the exchange of fire seven terrorists were killed while three others injured,” they added.

However, it remained unclear to which militant groups the slained terrorists belonged to.

Attacks on security forces and targeted killings have witnessed a surge in the volatile north Waziristan since the army launched the Zarb-i-Azb military operation against terrorists in June 2014, which also resulted in the displacement of over one million civilians.

The military operation was launched in order to wipe out militant bases and end the decade long insurgency issues in the tribal region, said the sources.

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In September, gunmen killed seven Pakistani armed forces, including an officer in an exchange of fire with militants in north Waziristan. During the operation, nine militants were also killed.

North Waziristan, one of seven tribal districts bordering Afghanistan, has been a battleground between the army and the Taliban since the launch of a full-scale military onslaught.

(With inputs from agencies)