Islamabad: An army operation in Pakistan's northwest targeting militants triggered a firefight that left a soldier and four fighters dead, the army's media wing said Sunday.
The development comes weeks after Pakistani Taliban detainees overpowered their guards at a counter-terrorism center in the northwest, snatching police weapons, taking hostages and seizing control of the facility.
It was not immediately clear if the four militants killed late Saturday were from the TTP.
The operation in the Jani Khel area of Bannu in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province targeted militants involved in attacking security forces and civilians, the army said. Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the four slain assailants after an intense exchange of fire.
Bannu's army control center confirmed the operation, but declined to give further details. Jani Khel is close to the site of last month's hostage situation at the counter-terrorism center.
