In a major breakthrough, security forces killed four terrorists, including top Fitna al-Khawarij, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commander in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on the night of October 29 and 30, the movement of a group of terrorists, who were trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was picked up by the security forces in Bajaur district.
“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted Khawarij’s attempt to infiltrate,” it said, adding that as a result of precise and skilful engagement, four militants, including kharji leader and a high-value target Amjad alias Mazahim, were sent to hell.
The ISPR said that killed TTP commander “Amjad, second to Kharji Noor Wali and head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij, was highly wanted by the law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and govt had fixed head money of Rs5 million on him, as he remained actively involved in perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan while residing in Afghanistan”.
“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area as a relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision “Azm-e-Istehkam” by security forces and LEAs will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR statement read.
The military’s media wing further said that the TTP leadership, while residing in Afghanistan, is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan, primarily to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of “their khwarij in Bajaur and Mohmand because of effective operations of security forces”.
“It is once again reiterated that the interim Afghan government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by kharji proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan. It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as a safe haven by khwarij belonging to Fitna al Khwarij against Pakistan,” the ISPR said.
“The security forces remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the statement concluded.
The Bajaur operation comes hours after ISPR said it had killed eighteen India-backed terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Hindustan in two separate IBOs in Balochistan.
The military’s media wing said that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted in the general area of Chiltan Mountains, Quetta district, on the reported presence of terrorists.
“During the conduct of the operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, and after an intense fire exchange, fourteen India-sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,” it added.
In another IBO conducted in the general area of Buleda, Kech district, a terrorist hideout was busted and four terrorists were successfully neutralised, the ISPR added.
Meanwhile President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif have commended security forces for two successful operations against terrorists in Quetta and Kech districts.
In a statement, President Asif Ali Zardari said the security forces under “Azm e Istehkam” are committed to completely eliminate terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a statement, said the entire nation stands with the security forces in the fight against terrorism. He reiterated the firm commitment to eradicating terrorism in all its forms from the country.