PESHAWAR: The security forces have successfully recovered the five workers abducted by terrorists in Kurram tribal district in an operation, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Sixteen labourers working at a mobile tower site in Kurram were kidnapped by terrorists on June 26 and 10 of them were released and one was found dead the next day.

The security forces launched a series of intelligence-based operations in the ‘highly inhospitable terrain under extreme weather conditions’ to recover the remaining five abductees.

“Terrorists were continuously tracked and pursued. In an intelligence-based operation on July 13, three terrorists were killed and Captain Basit Ali and Sepoy Hazrat Bilal sacrificed their lives,” the ISPR said.

It added that the security forces successfully rescued five abducted labourers on Thursday (July 15) during another exchange of fire with terrorists.

“The operation is under way to apprehend or eliminate the remaining terrorists,” it said.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2021