Peshawar: A series of security operations in Pakistan's northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, which borders Afghanistan, resulted in the deaths of at least 38 militants.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Pakistan military's media wing, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that 15 militants were killed in two separate engagements in KPK's Dera Ismail Khan district and North Waziristan tribal district.
Another 23 militants were killed in two separate engagements in KPK, as per another statement from the ISPR. Acting on intelligence tips, security forces launched an operation in the Bajaur tribal district of the province, effectively engaging with the militants and killing 11 of them, including the ringleader Sajjad Abuzar. In a separate intelligence-based operation conducted in the Bannu district of KPK, security forces successfully neutralized 12 more militants, the ISPR release confirmed.
The military further stated that sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any remaining militants in the area. The relentless counter-terrorism campaign by security forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to eradicate the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have paid tribute to the security forces for successfully conducting two more operations against the terrorists. The President, in his statement, said that the elimination of 23 terrorists reflects the effective strategy of the security forces. He added that the killing of several terrorists, including a ringleader in Bajaur, sends a clear message to all anti-peace elements. President Zardari emphasized that the timely actions of the security forces are a testament to the state's firm commitment to establishing peace in the country. He expressed the resolve that there is no room for foreign-sponsored terrorism on Pakistan's soil. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his statement, reaffirmed that the entire nation stands firmly with Pakistan's armed forces in the war against terrorism. He expressed the commitment that the government is fully determined to eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.
Earlier last week, Pakistan's security forces killed 20 militants in two separate engagements in KPK's tribal districts. These security operations occur at a time when Pakistan is experiencing a rise in terror attacks, especially in the KPK and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan.