Over 900 militants killed in North Waziristan operation: Pakistan army

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's military today said 910 "terrorist" have been killed during a major offensive against militants launched in June in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region.

The operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched on June 15 against local and foreign militants in the Taliban stronghold.

"Operation Zarb-e-Azb is progressing as per plan. Since start of the operation 910 terrorists have been killed," the military said.

82 soldiers were killed across the country while 269 have been injured in the fight against terrorism, it said.

It said that out of 82 slain soldiers, 42 were killed in the North Waziristan, 23 in rest of Federally Administered Tribal Areas and 17 in remaining parts of the country including Balochistan and Karachi.

In North Waziristan, 88 kms long roads including Khajuri- Mirali-Miranshah-Dattakhel and Road Ghariom-Jhallar have been cleared. So far security forces have cleared major towns of Miranshah, Mirali, Datta Khel, Boya and Degan, which were considered strong holds of terrorists, it said.

As many as 27 IEDs factories, one rocket and one ammunition factory have been destroyed. Huge cache of arms and ammunition, communication equipment, and other logistics facilities, used by terrorists have been destroyed uprooting their ability to attack as a coherent force.

So far 2,274 intelligence led coordinated operations across the country have been carried out. In these operations in areas other than North Waziristan, 42 terrorists have been killed and 114 hardcore terrorists apprehended.

Meanwhile, relief operation for Temporarily Dislocated people (TDPs) of North Waziristan Agency, continues to help our brethren from North Waziristan and 19,376 tonnes rations have been distributed among 97,570 families at six relief delivery points in Bannu, Dera Ismail khan and Tank districts.

It was first time that countryside compact data has been issued by the military since start of operation which has been termed as a major war against violent groups operating in Pakistan.