• Militant commander killed in Lakki Marwat
• Two FC personnel injured in D.I. Khan IED blast

SOUTH WAZIRISTAN/LAKKI MARWAT: Four militants, including a local commander, were killed in a fierce exchange of fire between two factions of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in South Waziristan district on Saturday, sources said.

The deceased militants included commander Niaz Wazir, alias Umar, and three of his associates. According to the sources, the conflict erupted when commander Minhaj Butt, who recently entered Pakistan from Afghanistan, ordered Fazal Sirki Khel Wazir to eliminate Niaz Wazir, who belonged to the Ada Khel tribe and commanded operations in Lower South Waziristan. Butt’s motive for the attack remains unclear.

According to the sources, the clash occurred between the Nandron and Nargasai mountain areas of tehsil Birmal, a region that has seen a significant uptick in militant activity over the past year, including attacks on security forces, police posts, and civilians.

Local political leaders expressed concern over the escalating violence, which has resulted in numerous fatalities. The TTP factions operating in the hilly areas near the Pakistan-Afghan border continue to threaten peace and stability in the region.

The confrontation underscores the intense infighting within TTP, which has led to the death of several key commanders and fostered fear and uncertainty among the local population. The banned outfit has yet to issue a statement regarding the incident, and the identities of the other three associates remain undisclosed.

Militant commander killed

In a separate incident, a militant commander was killed in a gun battle with the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of police following an exchange of fire between militants and armed villagers in the Takhtikhel area of Lakki Marwat district on Saturday.

A police official said a patrol team was alerted to the firefight between the militants and members of a local lashkar.

The police soon arrived on the scene and discovered an injured villager, identified as Rehmat Nawaz, lying in the area. The man, shot by the militants, succumbed to his injuries while being shifted to a hospital.

According to the official, the law enforcement officers then encountered the militants, leading to a gun battle that lasted about half an hour.

After the firefight, police located the body of the militant commander, Bilal, a resident of Madakhel in North Waziristan district, during a search of the area. His body was shifted to Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Serai Naurang town.

Two FC personnel injured

In a separate incident, two personnel of the Frontier Corps were injured when an improvised explosive device detonated near an FC convoy in the Hathala area of D.I. Khan district on Saturday.

Police said the IED, planted on the roadside, targeted the convoy during routine movement along Tank Road. Following the explosion, militants opened fire on the convoy, but the FC personnel retaliated, forcing the attackers to flee.

Police and other security personnel reached the site and launched a search operation.

The injured soldiers were taken to the Combined Military Hospital in Dera Ismail Khan.

Muhammad Irfan Mughal in Dera Ismail Khan also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, October 20th, 2024