• Two ringleaders among dead
• President, PM commend security forces for Khyber IBO
• Four abducted policemen recovered in South Waziristan Upper
PESHAWAR / KHYBER: A total of 30 terrorists, including two ringleaders, were killed and eight others injured in separate security operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, according to the military’s media wing.
In a separate development, four police personnel, who had been abducted from South Waziristan Upper three days ago, have been safely recovered.
Security forces acting on intelligence effectively engaged the terrorist hideouts in Lakki Marwat, Karak and Khyber districts.
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read that security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Lakki Marwat district on the reported presence of terrorists. The forces effectively engaged their location and killed 18 of them while six others were injured during the exchange of fire, it added.
Eight other terrorists were gunned down during a security operation in Karak district.
The military’s media wing said that the third encounter took place in the Bagh area of Khyber. Security forces neutralised four terrorists, including their ringleaders Azizur Rehman alias Qari Ismail and Mukhlis. Their two accomplices were wounded in the operation.
It read that weapons and ammunition were seized from their possession.
They had remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against the security forces as well as the killing of innocent civilians, the ISPR said.
“A sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Khwarij found in the [Khyber] area, as the security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country,” the ISPR stated.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces for neutralising four terrorists during the Khyber operation.
The president praised the security forces for successfully eliminating four terroristsin the operation, said a statement issued by the press wing of President Secretariat.
“Security forces are carrying out operations to eradicate the spectre of terrorism,” the president said, adding that the entire nation stood united against terrorism.
President Zardari further said that operations against Fitna al Khwarij would continue till complete eradication of terrorism.
PM Shehbaz also appreciated the officers and personnel of the security forces for a successful operation against terrorists in the Bagh area of Khyber. He praised their professional skills for neutralising four terrorists, including their key leaders. “We will continue the fight against the menace of terrorism till it is completely eradicated from the country,” he reiterated.
The PM said he along with the entire nation stood shoulder to shoulder with the security forces in the fight against terrorism. He reiterated the resolve to foil the nefarious designs of terrorists to spread chaos and unrest in the country.
The region had in the recent past witnessed a resurgence of armed terrorists affiliated with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-i-Islam, Hafiz Gul Bahadar group and Emarat-i-Islami.
The armed groups, which were seen openly patrolling different parts of the Tirah valley, carried out several deadly attacks on security forces while also extorting money from drug dealers in the area. These groups also formed parallel ‘dispute resolution councils’ and forced the residents to approach them for their issues.
On the other hand, security forces increased their presence and established additional check points in the valley, forcing the terrorists to abandon their positions and flee towards border areas of Orakzai and some high points in the valley.
Four cops freed
The four policemen, who were abducted from the Omar Raghazai police post in South Waziristan Upper, were safely released, police said.
District Police Officer Arshad Khan told Dawn that the abducted policemen, identified as Akbar Khan, Jan Mohammad, Sultan, and Naseeb Khan, were taken away from the check post in the Sararogha tehsil of South Waziristan Upper, between Wednesday and Thursday night.
He said the four officials were safely recovered through the efforts by police, security forces, and tribal elders.
With additional input from APP
Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2025
