Forces kill five terrorists, arrest three: one soldier martyred

The security forces have killed five terrorists and arrested three from Swat and Dir areas of Malakand division while one soldier was martyred and 12 others injured including an officer during the last 24 hours of operation "Rah-e-Raast."
Local militia, "Lashkar," has killed and injured a large number of terrorists during their effort to clear Shatkas village of the Dir district, while 22 personnel of the militia were injured in the action, said a spokesman of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) here on Wednesday. He said that the "Lashkar" conducted house-to-house search inside the village Shatkas. More than half of the village is under control of the "Lashkar."
In the continued exchange of fire between the "Laskhar" and trapped terrorists inside the village, killing a number of terrorists. Twenty-two "Lashkaris" were also injured, he added. He said that the security forces had cleared Shah Dheri area of Swat district and established communication link with Langar area. Five soldiers were injured in a gun-battle with terrorists at Devolai village of Swat valley. Three terrorists were arrested by the security forces during search operations around Matta, while an officer was injured in exchange of fire with terrorists, he added.
After clearing the areas of Dangram, Kukarai Jambil and Meragai of Swat valley, the security forces have consolidated their positions and launched a search operation to trace the suspected terrorists' locations, he said. The ISPR spokesman said that the security forces had cleared the areas around Dewana Baba, the route to Shangla from Buner and had neutralised four improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and four houses of terrorists were also demolished.
He said that terrorists had attacked the security forces checkpost near Hindi Khel area of Bannu district in which one soldier was martyred and six soldiers were injured. The security forces retaliated the terrorist fire and killed five of them.
The ISPR spokesman said that four trucks, carrying food and relief items, reached Malakand for distribution amongst the dislocated people. The repair work on Takhtaband Bypass was in progress by army engineers and it would be completed very soon, he said.