Amid deteriorating law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, two soldiers and three terrorists were killed in the wee hours on Sunday in a military operation, reported Dawn.
In an intelligence-based operation, the terrorists were killed in the region. According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press statement, the terrorists who were slain were still actively participating in "numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as innocent citizens in the region."
As per the statement, the soldiers killed were identified as 39-year-old Naik Muhammad Atiq from the Chakwal district and 36-year-old Naik Rajab Ali hailing from Attock reported Dawn.
"Sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area," the ISPR said.
One terrorist and 3 soldiers were killed a day before as security forces reacted against an attack on one of their checkpoints in the Balochistan town of Zarghoon.
According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the early-morning attack by a group of terrorists was conducted against a post that was recently constructed to "help check extortion efforts targeting coal mines in the area."
According to the ISPR, security personnel "retaliated quickly to the fire," forcing the terrorists back, reported Dawn. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the incident that killed 3 soldiers.
The incident comes amid an increase in terrorist activity across the country, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the proscribed terrorist outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended the ceasefire with the government in November.
Six Pakistan Army personnel were killed earlier this month following an exchange of fire with terrorists in the Dir Duni area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district, as the law and order across Pakistan continue to deteriorate.
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