17 terrorists killed in Balochistan, K-P IBOs
Five terrorists were killed while three others injured in intelligence-based operations in several districts of Balochistan while 12 terrorists sent "to hell" in Tirah valley of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Khyber district, the military's media affairs wing said on Friday.
The ISPR also said that the armed forces have been conducting extensive IBOs in the Tirah valley and killed 37 terrorists so far in a major blow to the TTP.
"On night [of] 29/30 August, in three separate IBOs in District Kech, Panjgur, and Zhob, five terrorists were killed by the security forces, while three terrorists got injured during the intense fire exchange," the ISPR said.
It added that the sanitisation operations would "continue until all perpetrators, facilitators, and abetters of these atrocious acts are brought to justice".
"Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan," the military asserted.
In the latest flare-up of violence, dozens of militants affiliated with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) - a separatist outfit - launched numerous attacks on Sunday midnight across Balochistan, targeting security personnel as well as civilians.
At least 50 people, including 14 security men, lost their lives as militants went on a rampage across the province, storming police stations, blowing up railway tracks, and setting fire to almost three dozen vehicles. In response, security forces neutralised 21 militants.
Among those killed were 23 people in Musakhail, mostly labourers from Punjab, who were offloaded from trucks and vans and shot dead after an identity check.
Referring to the deadly attacks earlier this week, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said: "The security forces are conducting extensive intelligence-based operations (IBOs) to hunt down the perpetrators of these heinous acts.
Tirah operation
Also, the ISPR said that security forces were conducting extensive IBOs in the Tirah valley of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Khyber district based on the reported presence of militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) outfit since August 20.
It said security forces "effectively engaged" TTP locations on Wednesday and Thursday, sending 12 terrorists "to hell".
The ISPR said the operations had resulted in a "major setback" for the TTP and its affiliates with 37 terrorists so far "sent to hell" while 14 militants suffered serious injuries.
"The IBOs will continue till peace in the area is restored" and the TTP eliminated, the ISPR said, adding that security forces were "determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country".