14 terrorists killed in Balochistan, K-P operations

RAWALPINDI/PESHAWAR:

Security forces killed 14 terrorists in two separate operations in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa in the past 24 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) and the K-P Counter-Terrorism Department said in their statements on Thursday.

The operations were carried out in the Kech district of Balochistan, where eight terrorists were killed, when they tried to ambush a convoy of forces. Six more terrorists were killed in the Lakki Marwat district in a raid by the CTD Bannu and the local police.

The ISPR said that operation in the Kech district was launched after terrorists attempted to ambush a convoy of the security forces the previous day. It added that the forces, who were alert and combat-ready, foiled the terrorists' attempt without any loss of life.

“In ensuing, heavy exchange of fire, 8 Terrorists have been killed while a large cache of arms and ammunition including explosives has also been recovered,” said the statement issued by the media wing of the military.

Subsequently, the forces launched a follow-up operation, using ground and aviation assets, to track down fleeing terrorists. It led to the identification of a suspected terrorist hideout in Mazaaband Range, where a sanitisation operation was conducted on Thursday.

The ISPR statement reiterated Pakistan's commitment to thwart any attempts by inimical elements, acting at the behest of hostile intelligence agencies, to disrupt peace in the province.

According to a separate statement, the CTD Bannu and the Lakki Marwat police carried out a joint intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Dadiwala area of the Lakki Marwat district, killing six terrorists and recovering a cache of arms and ammunition.

The operation was carried out on information that terrorists involved in various bomb and other attacks were present in Dadiwala and plotting to launch another attack on Chowki Abbasa – where six policemen were martyred in an attack in November last year.

In an exchange of fire, the forces killed six terrorists, who were wanted to the Lakki Marwat police and the CTD over terrorist attacks on police and other security personnel, according to the CTD statement.

Four of the dead terrorists have been identified as Ziaullah alias Kochi, son of Dawood; Safatullah alias Daroon, son of Hayatullah; Muhibullah, son of Sharif; Kaleemullah alias Faqir, son of Amir Nawaz. The identity of the two dead terrorists is being ascertained.

Pakistan's security forces have conducted numerous operations across the country in the past three months, arresting terrorists and their facilitators and foiling several attacks. In Balochistan alone, 3,414 operations were conducted.