Pakistan security forces kill 5 TTP terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Pakistan's security forces killed five terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in a joint operation in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said. Three civilians, including two women, were also killed and several others were injured during the operation, which lasted around ten hours on Thursday, local police confirmed late night. The operation was carried out jointly by security forces and police in Domel tehsil of restive Bannu district, during which five terrorists, including a TTP commander, were killed, it added. The slain commander was identified as Zewaran alias Al-Badri, who was wanted in several cases. The security forces targeted the terrorists' hideouts with more than 25 quadcopter strikes, while a heavy exchange of fire continued throughout the clashes. Following the operation, continuous surveillance by drones and helicopters was carried out in the region to round up the remaining terrorists trying to flee the area. Bannu RPO Sajjad Khan, DPO Yasir Afridi and other senior security officials supervised the operation. Earlier this week, two terrorists were killed in a shootout with police in Domel. On January 13, armed assailants killed four members of a peace committee in the district. The incident took place in the Gulbadin Landi Dak area of Bannu district.