Four terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire with the security forces in Dera Ismael Khan on Tuesday, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

According to the statement issued by the Inter–Services Public Relations (ISPR), the security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation against the terrorists.

It said that weapons, explosives and bullets were also recovered from the slain militants, who had been identified as Mustafa, Qismatullah and Islamuddin.

The ISPR further said that the militants were involved in the killings of security forces personnel as well as ordinary citizens.

It went on to say that locals of the area had praised the operation against militants. “Security forces are determined to root out terrorism from the country,” the ISPR said.

The security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which had returned to normalcy following Operation Zarb-i-Azb, has again deteriorated.

On March 16, a group of six militants stormed the Frontier Corps’ post in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali area by ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the gate, resulting in the martyrdom of seven soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali and Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar.

A group, affiliated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur, claimed responsibility for the attack. Bahadur’s outfit is the strongest militant group in North Waziristan. He was flushed out in 2014 and fled to Afghanistan.

Reporter: Ahmad Mansoor