At least four Frontier Corps soldiers were martyred in an exchange of fire with terrorists from the banned Fitnal Khawarij group, erstwhile TTP, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Naib Subedar Taib Shah, 38, a Tank district resident; Lance Naik Gulab Zaman, 30, a Karak district resident; Lance Naik Muzammil Mehmood, 30, a Karak district resident; and Lance Naik Habibullah, 28, an Orakzai district resident.

In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations said that the exchange of fire with terrorists took place in the general area of Karama on Wednesday.

At least five terrorists were killed during the gun battle.

“Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area as security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the statement said.

Earlier this year, the government designated the banned TTP as Fitna al Khawarij while mandating all institutions to use the term khariji (outcast) when referring to the perpetrators of terrorist attacks on Pakistan.

Pakistan has seen an increase in militancy since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021, with the Pakistani chapter of the movement carrying out attacks mostly targeting security forces.

Earlier this week, two Frontier Constabulary soldiers were martyred and four injured when banned outfit terrorists attacked their vehicle in KP’s Dera Ismail Khan.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Sherur Rahman, from South Waziristan, and Syed Ameen, from Swabi, according to a statement from the interior ministry.The wounded include Havaldar Imtiaz and soldiers Mohib Shah, Sahab Din, and Fazal Kareem.

Last month, 10 police were martyred and seven wounded at a check post near the Afghan border in DI Khan. About 20 to 25 militants launched a heavy assault on a post of the Frontier Constabulary, a police assistance force in the district said.

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The outlawed TTP historically has roots in Afghanistan and shares the same ideology as the Afghan Taliban.

Islamabad says such attacks are being launched from neighbouring Afghanistan by various militant groups, many linked to the TTP, which the Taliban authorities in Kabul deny.