According to the Pakistani military, two gunfights took place on Tuesday near the town of Mirali in North Waziristan, where the army has launched a major offensive to clear the area of militants and their strongholds.
The military said in a statement that two soldiers were killed “in an intense exchange of fire with terrorists in and around Mirali.”
Three troopers also died in a gunfight with militants in the nearby Fateh Khel area, while the clashes left 11 militants dead.
Security officials said that the military had kicked off ground operations in Mirali and nearby Dattakhel areas on Monday.
The huge offensive started last month as the army seeks to wipe out militant strongholds in North Waziristan. Jets and artillery began hitting militant targets on June 15.
Over 400 militants and 23 soldiers have been killed in the offensive so far, according to the military.
The assault came after a raid by the pro-Taliban militants on Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport on June 8, in which more than 30 people were killed.
Pro-Taliban militants have carried out numerous attacks against security forces as well as civilians and managed to spread their influence in various regions of the country.
Pakistan’s Fata Disaster Management Authority has announced that the number of the internally displaced persons in the North Waziristan Agency has reached almost 800,000 since the army’s offensive started in the area.
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