BAJAUR / DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Nine terrorists, including a leader, were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) carried out by security forces, while a policeman embraced martyrdom in different incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday, the military said.

Security forces launched an operation late on Wednesday night on the reported presence of khwarij in an area of Bajaur district, said an InterServices Public Relations statement, adding that the troops effectively engaged their location.

It said that during an intense exchange of fire, nine terrorists, including two would-be suicide bombers and ringleader Said Mohammad alias Qureshi Ust ad, were killed.

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the killed terrorists, who, according to the military`s media wing, had remained actively involved in several terrorist activities against security forces and innocent civilians inthe region.

A sanitisation operation was carried out to eliminate any other terroristsin the area,it said, adding that security forces were determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.

Meanwhile, a cop embraced martyrdom while another sustained injuries when terrorists attacked the account office of Upper South Waziristan in Tank district.

According to the police, the attackers on two motorcycles entered the office in Branch Street of Tank district, and opened indiscriminate fire at Constable Ziaur Rehman.

They said the constable embraced martyrdom.

Another constable retaliated and one of the attackers got injured. However, the assailants managed to escape along with the injured.

Law enforcement agencies` personnel immediately reached the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. They cleared the district accounts office.

The body of the martyred constable was later taken to the district headquarters hospital Tank for an autopsy. Medical Superintendent Dr Nisar Burki said the body was later dispatched to Upper South Waziristan, the native area of the deceased, for burial.