'Catastrophic attack' foiled in Waziristan

RAWALPINDI:

Security forces killed three terrorists while foiling an attempted suicide attack in North Waziristan district, the military's media wing said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces foiled a "major terrorist incident and averted a potential catastrophic attack" a day ago after conducting an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the district's general area of Jhallar based on credible intelligence about reported terrorist presence belonging to "Indian proxy Fitna al-Khawarij preparing a vehicle-borne suicide bomber for a major terrorist activity".

Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

It added that troops effectively engaged them at their location and destroyed the vehicle being prepared for the suicide attack while eliminating three "Indian-sponsored" terrorists through "precise and skillful engagement".

The ISPR said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

"Relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision 'Azm-i-Istehkam' (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the ISPR concluded.