IED expert among two terrorists killed in North Waziristan operations

Three soldiers of the Pakistan Army were martyred during two separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) on terrorists' hideouts in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.

According to the military's media wing, two terrorists including an improvised explosive device (IED) expert also killed during the operations.

The ISPR added that Sepoy Azaib Ahmed from Karak, Sepoy Ziaul Islam from Bannu and Lance Naik Abbass Khan from Orakzai District were martyred during the exchange of fire.

Read more: Army kills two terrorists, arrests one in IBO

On December 24, a soldier was martyred when terrorists targeted security forces convoy in North Waziristan district.

The ISPR said that 34-year-old Naik Yaseen, a resident of Malakand, was martyred while seven others sustained injuries during the attack in district's Mirali area.

A day earlier, Havaldar Shoaib was martyred during an IBO conducted in Balochistan's Awaran district.

During the operation, a terrorist was also killed while another was apprehended, according to the ISPR.

In October, a possible terrorist activity was foiled in southern Balochistan when security forces conducted a similar operation, killing a "high-value target" responsible for killing innocent civilians, extortion and attacking security forces.

The ISPR said that the operation was conducted in Ketch district's Buleda area on a terrorist hideout of a proscribed organisation.

Seven soldiers and as many security guards were also martyred in October while fighting off a terrorist attack on a convoy of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) on the Coastal Highway, near Ormara in Balochistan.