• ISPR says 30 attackers killed in Sararogha, ‘swift action’ prevented their escape
• Kohat police kill four suspects in shootout, recover weapons and hand grenades

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: In two separate operations in South Waziristan and Kohat, police and security forces gunned down as many as 34 terrorists on Tuesday — the highest number of single-day casualties inflicted on militants in recent months.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), at least 30 terrorists were killed in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan, during an operation.

It said that security forces launched the operation after gathering intelligence regarding the terrorists’ hideout, adding that the troops effectively targeted the militants’ position, resulting in the elimination of 30 terrorists.

“The swift and decisive action prevented the militants from retaliating or escaping,” it said.

The ISPR said a clearance operation had been launched in the area to detect and neutralise any remaining threats, adding that security forces are conducting search and combing operations to ensure the complete elimination of terrorist elements.

The military’s media wing reiterated that Pakistan’s security forces remain committed to eradicating terrorism.

Kohat shoot-out

In Kohat, police gunned down four terrorists while an official sustained injuries during an exchange of fire near Shadipur check-post near the Indus River.

The policeman was inj­ured and has been shifted to the DHQ hospital.

Sharing details of the shoot-out, an official said police had erected a barrier on the Kohat-Nizampur road leading to Nowshera, when a suspicious car coming from Kohat was flagged to stop.

As soon as the vehicle stopped at the barrier, six gunmen started firing at the police party, who duly retaliated.

The official claimed that three militants had been clad in a ‘burqa’ to evade the police in the guise of a ‘family’.

A militant identified as Siraj, a resident of Nowshera, was killed on the spot, while the rest managed to escape under heavy fire.

Subsequently, a clearance operation led by District Police Officer Zahidullah Khan was launched on the Kohat side, while the police from Nowshera were also combing the area in their jurisdiction. In the operation, three attackers were killed by the police while the search for the remainder was still underway at the time of going to press.

The terrorists left behind three hand grenades, seven Kalashn­ikovs, and hundreds of cartridges.

Abdul Sami Paracha in Kohat also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, February 19th, 2025