- Military gunships shell havens of suspected terrorists in Bara
- FDMA official says 2,500 families have fled Bara and have been registered as IDPs
- ISPR DG says Zarb-e-Azb is progressing well, gives no timeline for conclusion
At least two security personnel were killed and three others injured Wednesday in a rocket attack by militants on a fort in Datakhel area of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) where the Pakistan Army is conducting Operation Zarb-e-Azb.
Official sources said militants fired five rockets on the security forces’ camp which resulted in the death of two personnel while injuring three others. The security forces responded to the attack with fire.
Meanwhile, military gunships shelled sanctuaries of suspected terrorists in Sepah and Shalobar areas of Tehsil Bara on the sixth day of Operation Khyber 1. No casualties were reported either by official or and local sources.
Separately, in a mortar shelling from an undisclosed location two children were killed in a house in Sepah area. The administration and security sources have not confirmed the attack.
Earlier at night, the house of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) Deputy Secretary General Shah Faisal Afridi was demolished by unidentified militants in Speen Kabr.
Sources and the leader said that dozens of motorists, equipped with levers and spades appeared in the area and demolished Afridi house before fleeing the scene.
Separately, a youth, Shoaib, was injured by undisclosed armed men in New Abadi, Jamrud, sources said.
So far, 2,500 families have fled the Akakel area in Tirah valley, a FATA Disaster Management Authority official said, adding that 90 percent of the residents of Bara have been registered as internally displaced persons (IDPs).
DG ISPR ASSURES SAFE RETURN OF IDPS SOON
Meanwhile, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Asim Bajwa said Wednesday that Operation Zarb-e-Azb is being conducted successfully but did not give a timeframe for the conclusion of the offensive which started on June 15.
“Defusing of tonnes of explosives and clearing of several areas is underway. The Army is trying to conclude the operation as soon as possible but we cannot give a final date in this regard,” Bajwa said while speaking to reporters in Bannu after witnessing a friendly match between the Army and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
He said that tonnes of explosive material stored in tunnels is being recovered or destroyed in order to avoid human losses.
To a question, he expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by the military for the temporarily dislocated persons.
“We are providing all-out facilities to them in the camps which are declared the best camps by the United Nations,” he said, adding that he wishes that the IDPs are able to return to their homes soon.