Security forces killed three terrorists while foiling an attempted suicide attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.
A statement issued from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that security forces foiled a “major terrorist incident and averted a potential catastrophic attack” a day ago after conducting an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the district’s general area of Jhallar based on credible intelligence about reported terrorist presence belonging to “Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij preparing a vehicle-borne suicide bomber for a major terrorist activity”.
It added that troops effectively engaged them at their location and destroyed the vehicle being prepared for the suicide attack while eliminating three “Indian-sponsored” terrorists through “precise and skillful engagement”.
The ISPR said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.
“Relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR concluded.
Separately, police killed two suspected terrorists on Saturday during a search and strike operation in rugged, hilly area of Ghalmena, District Police Officer Khan Zeb confirmed.
The operation was launched after twin explosions killed three police officers, including a Superintendent of Police (SP), in the district.
DPO Zeb stated that as police team reached into the hilly area area, they were fired upon by terrorists. “In retaliation of heavy fire, two terrorists were killed,” he said. The process to identify killed terrorists was underway.
The DPO paid tribute to martyred police jawans, vowing that justice would be served. “The blood of our martyrs is a beacon for us,” he said, assuring that all the culprits involved in the twin blast will soon be brought to justice.
He added that sacrifices of Hangu police demonstrate their solidarity with the nation and that war against terrorism would continue till final elimination of terrorists.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in KP and Balochistan, predominantly targeting the police, law enforcement agencies’ personnel, and security forces. Attacks increased after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.