Soldier, 2 militants killed in encounter in Pakistan’s KPK

Peshawar: A soldier and two militants, who were responsible for recent attacks on security personnel, have been killed in an encounter in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Sunday.

Based on intelligence input, the security forces launched the operation in Spin Wam sub-division and Bobar areas of North Waziristan tribal district on Saturday night.

Soldier Nazakat Khan, 32, died in the encounter, a release from the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

The killed militants were reported to be part of the banned Pakistan Taliban. A huge cache of weapons and ammunition were seized from them.

The militants had organised attacks on security personnel in recent months, officials said.

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan, have served as the main base for local and foreign militants till 2015 when the military launched a major counter-terror operation.

With the US and NATO set to pull out their forces by the end of this year, fears have risen on the strengthening of the Pakistan Taliban.