RAWALPINDI: Pakistani security forces killed five militants of the Fitna al Khawarij during an intelligence-based operation in the Razmak area of North Waziristan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the operation targeted militants it described as members of Fitna Al Khwarij, a term the military uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The military also alleged the group was backed by India.
According to the ISPR, troops engaged the militants after receiving intelligence about their presence in the area. Five suspected militants were killed during the exchange of fire.
Major Hafiz Ihsan Elahi, 34, who led the operation from the front, was killed during the firefight. He was a resident of Mianwali district.
The military said security forces recovered weapons and ammunition from the dead militants. It alleged they had been involved in attacks on security personnel, law enforcement agencies and civilians.
The ISPR said troops were conducting a clearance operation to search for any remaining militants in the area.
It added that Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam strategy would continue, reaffirming the country’s commitment to eliminating militancy and foreign-backed terrorism.
