North Waziristan Security forces say eight militants killed in intelligence-based operation

North Waziristan was the site of an intelligence-based operation in which security forces killed eight militants, according to security sources.

The operation targeted militant positions in the district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Security sources said the militants’ hideouts were destroyed during the action.

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and other equipment was also recovered, the sources said.

The sources alleged that the militants attempted to use a mosque as cover to evade the security forces. They said troops took the sanctity of the mosque into consideration and conducted the operation in a way that avoided damage to the place of worship.

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The militants were identified by Pakistani authorities as members of Fitna al-Khawarij, a term used by the government for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The latest operation came a day after security forces reported killing two militants in Jausak, in Balochistan’s Turbat district.

According to security sources, the Turbat operation was conducted under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad 3 after intelligence indicated the presence of militants in the area. An exchange of fire followed, resulting in the deaths of two militants identified by the sources as members of Fitna al-Hindustan.

A search, clearance and sanitisation operation was continuing in the area to locate any militants who may have fled, according to the sources.

The latest operations come amid continued militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with Pakistani security forces carrying out repeated intelligence-based operations against armed groups.