- Pakistan Army says it has cleared two NWA villages as a US drone attack kills 11 suspected Punjabi Taliban terrorists including ‘two important commanders’ in Datta Khel tehsil early Saturday
- ISPR says four suspected terrorists killed in Mirali, forces have seized huge cache of arms and ammunition besides recovering an IED factory
A US drone struck a compound in Madakhel area in North Waziristan Agency’s Datta Khel tehsil early on Saturday, killing 11 suspected Punjabi Taliban terrorists, while Pakistan Army claimed on Saturday evening that after Miranshah, it had successfully cleared two important villages of Boya and Degan, which were known to be strongholds of local and foreign terrorists.
“Consolidation of Boya and Degan is in progress,” said a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday. It said that terrorists are being eliminated and dislodged from their bases in North Waziristan as the operation progresses as per plan.
The press release said that house to house search in Mussaki, Hurmez and Mirali Bazaar was being carried out by integrated group of forces. Terrorists holed up inside Mirali and surrounding areas have been firing rockets and mortars and using heavy machine guns and sniper rifles, said the statement, adding that four terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire on Friday night.
According to ISPR, 12 IEDs were neutralised on Friday night, while an IED making factory, huge cache of arms and ammunition and foreign currency were also recovered.
EARLY MORNING DRONE ATTACK:
Earlier, a security official said that a US drone had fired eight missiles on a compound at around 2am on Saturday killing 11 members of the Punjabi faction of the Taliban.
The official said the dead included two “important” commanders of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, but he refused to reveal their identities.
The strike took place in the Mada Khel suburb of Datta Khel, a town that lies around 22 miles (36 kilometres) west of Miranshah. The army’s operation against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Zarb-e-Azb is still continuing in North Waziristan.
The Pakistani Foreign Office came up with its routine statement condemning the drone strike.
“Pakistan regards such strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. As has been made clear on earlier occasions also these strikes have a negative impact on the government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region,” said the statement.
The area has been used as a hideout for terrorists of all stripes – including al Qaeda and TTP as well as foreign fighters such as Uzbeks and Chinese Uighurs.
The strike comes two days after another strike in which at least 20 people were killed in Datta Khel.
US drone strikes have picked up since the military launched its offensive in Waziristan in mid-June with at least four strikes reported since June 12.