Islamabad [Pakistan], August 23 (ANI): Pakistan’s security forces killed four people whom the officials called as “terrorists”  during an exchange of fire in South Waziristan district, Dawn reported.
“Six soldiers embraced martyrdom in an exchange of fire with security forces in South Waziristan district,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
 The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement, “On 22 August 2023, [a] fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists in general area Asman Manza, South Waziristan District.”
According to the military’s media wing, the armed forces effectively engaged with the terrorists’ location and consequently, “four terrorists were sent to hell, while two terrorists were injured”, reported Dawn. 
“Sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area,” the ISPR said.
However, ISPR noted that the Pakistani armed forces are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism.
The former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif lauded the security personnel in a post on social media platform X.
“The nation firmly stands behind its armed forces in eliminating terrorism and pays glowing tributes to their valour.”
The security operation took place in Pakistan as it is facing an increase in terror activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after the outlawed Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year, according to Dawn. 
Two terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Bara area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district, Dawn reported on Saturday citing the Pakistan military’s media wing.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release stated that the security forces conducted the operation on the reported presence of terrorists in the area on the night between August 18 and 19.
“During the conduct of the operation, intense fire exchange took place between own troops and terrorists and resultantly two terrorists were sent to hell,” Dawn quoted the ISPR as stating.
Earlier this week, two more terrorists were killed by the Pakistan security forces in a similar operation in the Ramzak area of North Waziristan on the night of August 14 and 15, Dawn reported.
Notably, Pakistan has been witnessing a rise in terror activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after the ceasefire between Pakistan’s government and the outlawed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (TTP) ended in November last year.
A report released in July said that Pakistan has been witnessing a steady rise in suicide attacks.
Pakistan in the first seven months of 2023 experienced 18 suicide attacks, claiming the lives of 200 people and injuring more than 450 others, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing a think tank report. 
Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in a press conference in June said that the security forces conducted 13,619 intelligence operations this year in which 1,172 terrorists were killed or arrested. (ANI)

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