Peshawar: At least 31 militants belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in two separate engagements in northwest Pakistan, the army said Monday.
The two separate intelligence-based operations were conducted September 13 and 14 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts, respectively, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the media wing of the army – said in a statement.
During the first operation, security forces engaged the militants’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, 14 terrorists were killed, it said.
It added that another operation was carried out in Bannu, where 17 more terrorists were killed in a gun battle.
Earlier Saturday, the ISPR said that the military had killed 45 terrorists between September 10 and 13. Meanwhile, 19 soldiers also died during these operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Afghanistan must choose between siding with terrorists or standing with Pakistan.
Pakistan has lately been witnessing a rise in terrorist activities, mainly in provinces bordering Afghanistan.
PTI
