Zarb-i-Azb: More IED factories, explosives recovered in NWA

Pakistan Army claims on Wednesday that three more IED making factories with large quantity of explosives, anti-tank mines, a suicide bomber training center, a media facility and a rocket cache were recovered from the cleared area in North Waziristan Agency during the military offensive.

A spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) told Dawn.com that Operation Zarb-i-Azb was progressing successfully as planned as six IEDs attached with four computers in a ready position were also recovered from a private hotel in the area.

“Forces are making swift progress in NWA as forces are hitting and shelling militant hubs and hide outs,” he said.

Sources said sniffer dogs are also being used in the cleared areas to find hidden explosives in the tribal agency bordering Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, former DG ISPR Major General (retd) Athar Abbas demanded that the military should give access to the media to such areas which have been cleared by the troops.

Earlier, Pakistani military helicopters shelled militant hideouts in Khar Warsak area of Miramshah, killing 10 insurgents. Nearly 500,000 people have fled the offensive in North Waziristan, which is aimed at wiping out longstanding militant strongholds in the area, which borders Afghanistan.

Tens of thousands of families have left for the town of Bannu, close to North Waziristan, while hundreds more have moved further afield to the towns of Lakki Marwat, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan since the Operation Zarb-i-Azb began in mid-June.