Security forces on Monday killed nine terrorists, including two “high-value targets,” in two separate operations in areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
In a statement, the military’s media wing said seven terrorists, including militant commanders Najeeb aka Abdul Rehman and Ishfaq alias Muavia, were eliminated by the security forces during an intelligence-based operation conducted in the general area of Tira, Khyber District. According to the ISPR, the slain militants were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area and were wanted by law enforcement agencies. It said weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the slain militants.
In a separate operation conducted in Lakki Marwat district, troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location, resulting in the killing of two terrorists. The ISPR said sanitization operations were being conducted to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area. It reaffirmed that security forces were determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.
Pakistan is currently in the midst of a terror resurgence, with KP and Balochistan facing the brunt of the violence. The government has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in Afghanistan and facilitating the use of its soil for attacks in Pakistan. Repeated calls for action, however, have thus far failed to achieve any cessation of hostilities.
Last week, the federal government approved Vision Azm-e-Istehkam, a national counter-terrorism drive aimed at eliminating terrorism from the country through intelligence-based operations and a whole-of-the-system approach to militancy.