Army officer among 7 killed in Tirah gunbattle

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Four security personnel, including an army officer, have been killed in a shoot-out in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The shoot-out occurred in restive Tirah Valley near the Durand Line during an intelligence-based operation on Monday following a tip-off about the presence of militants in the area.

During the raid, led by Lt Colonel Muhammad Hassan Haider, an intense gunfight erupted, said a brief statement from army’s media wing.

Col. Haider, a resident of Islamabad, Khushdil Khan, Rafique Khan and Abdul Qadir were killed in the fire exchange, the Inter-Services Public Relations said. Three terrorists were also and as many wounded.

Meanwhile, Dawn reported gun battles happened in the Baghray and Dray Naghari areas of the valley, where a hideout of the banned outfit, Lashkar-i-Islam, was raided.

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