At least nine terrorists were killed after they attacked the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Mianwali Training Air Base in the wee hours of Saturday, the military said, adding that the attack was "foiled and thwarted".
The attack came a day after 17 servicemen were martyred in different terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) provinces.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that three "non-operational" aircraft were damaged in the attack on the PAF base.
“Three militants were killed before they entered the base while the others had been cornered and isolated before the clearance operation began,” the military said in the statement.
However, it did not mention any casualties among security personnel.
"The successful operation was launched by security forces to eliminate any potential threat in the surrounding area following the cowardly and failed terrorist attack on the base this morning," the ISPR said.
The military's media wing added that no damage was done to "any of the PAF’s functional operational assets", while some damage was sustained by three aircraft which were phased out and non-operational.
The early Saturday attack startled residents living close by when volleys of gunfire broke the morning silence.
"I woke up at around 3am after I heard massive gun shots which continued till around 7am," Zeeshan Niazi, a resident of Mianwali, told Reuters.
An earlier update also mentioned that a fuel bowser was also damaged apart from the non-functional aircraft.
"The prompt and professional conclusion of the operation serves as a stark reminder to all enemies of peace that Pakistan's Armed Forces remain vigilant and are fully capable of defending the homeland from any threat," the ISPR said. "Pakistan Armed Forces remain committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country at all costs."
Militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to journalists by its spokesperson.
The TJP came to the fore only this year and little is known about the group, which has carried out a string of high-profile attacks in the country, including martyring 12 soldiers at a Pakistani military base in the southwestern province of Balochistan in July.
Read: Three soldiers martyred, two terrorists killed in K-P clashes
A day earlier, at least 20 people, including 17 troops, were martyred in different terrorist attacks in Balochistan and K-P provinces.
“Two vehicles of the security forces moving from Pasni to Ormara in Gwadar district were ambushed by terrorists,” the military’s media wing said in a brief statement on Friday evening. “Fourteen soldiers embraced shahadat in the unfortunate incident,” it added.
The funeral prayers of the soldiers were offered in Pasni and they would be laid to rest in their hometowns.
Senior serving military and civil administration officers and troops were in attendance.
In two other attacks in K-P, three more troops were martyred in intense encounters between security forces and militants in Dera Ismail Khan and Lakki Marwat districts.
The clashes occurred during intelligence based operations in the region, the ISPR said.
President Dr Arif Alvi strongly condemned the terrorist attack on the training air base in Mianwali, commending the swift action taken by the security forces that successfully thwarted the attack.
The president also condemned in strong words the terrorist attack on the convoy of Pakistan Army in Gwadar district.
The president expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the attack. He also paid tribute to the 14 security forces personnel who were martyred in the attack.
He prayed to Allah Almighty for the elevation of ranks of the martyrs in paradise and patience for the bereaved families.
President Alvi vowed to continue endeavours for complete eradication of the scourge of terrorism from the country, saying that the terrorists were the enemies of country and the nation. He said the entire nation stood by its security forces to eliminate this scourge of terrorism.
Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar also commended the PAF for thwarting the terrorist attack on its training base. “The valiant Pakistan Air Force has once again proven its mettle by thwarting a cowardly terrorist attack in Mianwali,” the prime minister wrote on X. He said any attempt to undermine the security would meet with unwavering resistance. “The nation stands with you and we salute your courage and resolve.”
The valiant Pakistan Air Force has once again proven its mettle by thwarting a cowardly terrorist attack in Mianwali. Any attempt to undermine our security will meet with unwavering resistance. The nation stands with you and we salute your courage and resolve.
— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) November 4, 2023
Other politicians also commended the army for its timely and resilient response in thwarting the terrorist attack.
(With input from Reuters)
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