The Counter Terrorism Department in Peshawar stated that terrorists attacked police officers in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area, killing at least seven Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) activists.
TTP militants targeted a police van carrying prisoners near Mir Ali Bypass, according to a CTD statement released on Tuesday. The CTD staff was escorting the prisoners from Miranshah to Bannu when they were attacked.
According to the report, militants started firing on police officers, leading law enforcement agencies to counterattack.
The statement added that seven TTP terrorists were also shot dead in the exchange of fire, while few others managed to escape under the cover of darkness. “Due to firing by militants, all three prisoners present in the van were killed,” it said.
Furthermore, it said that the assassinated terrorists were wanted by the police in relation to several terrible crimes.
“The terrorists were responsible for the deliberate murder of security personnel. They also killed constable Iftikhar, according to the CTD.
The statement stated that a clearance operation was being conducted in the region to search for the evading terrorists.
Read more: Eight Injured In Blast Near Car Carrying Wounded ASI, North Waziristan
During intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across Punjab last week, the CTD claimed to have killed a suspected terrorist who was allegedly a member of the TTP in an encounter. Furthermore, CTD arrested 11 members of prohibited organizations from various towns.
A wave of terrorism has attacked Pakistan, primarily in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, Balochistan and the bordering Punjab town of Mianwali also came under this wave of terrorism. Moreover, the recent wave of terrorism also affected the boundaries of Islamabad.
Since 2018, January has been the deadliest month, with at least 44 militant attacks around the nation resulting in at least 134 fatalities (a 139% increase) and 254 injuries.