10 terrorists neutralised in Zhob

RAWALPINDI:

Security Forces killed 10 more terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Zhob district, the military's media wing said on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), after an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Zhob on February 24, in which eight Indian-sponsored terrorists were killed, security forces conducted a comprehensive sanitisation operation on Wednesday to hunt down "hiding khwarij" belonging to Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij.

Fitna al Khwarij is a term that the state has designated for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

"During the conduct of the operation, own forces tracked down Khwarij on multiple routes and effectively engaged their locations. After an ensuing fire exchange, ten Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell," the statement said.

It added that weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the terrorists, who were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.

"Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area," it said.

Relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision "Azm e 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," the news release said.

Three brothers abducted in Bannu

A tragic incident during taraweeh prayers on Thursday plunged Bannu tehsil's Hassan Khel Sokri Faqir Khel into mourning after three brothers were abducted from a mosque late last night.

Two of them, both serving police officials, were later found murdered, while the third brother remains missing.

According to eyewitnesses, 10 to 12 armed men dressed in a specific uniform stormed the mosque during taraweeh prayers and created a hostage-like situation for worshippers.

The attackers carried out the operation in an organised manner, forcibly taking the three brothers with them before fleeing to an unknown location.

The abducted individuals were identified as Saeed Akhtar, a clerk at the commissioner's office, and his brothers Amjad and Hazratullah, both posted in the Wazir Sub-Division Police.

Police officials confirmed that the bodies of the two serving policemen were later recovered from the roadside along Marwat Canal Road. They had been brutally killed and their bodies dumped at the scene.

In Tank, Naik Nadeem was martyred when terrorists targeted a security forces check post in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district late Wednesday night, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), K-P – Dera Ismail Khan Region, said in an official statement.

According to the CTD, the attack took place at approximately 1:30am in Village Kiri Haider within the limits of Police Station SMA. Terrorists described as "Fitna-Al-Khawarij" used a quadcopter to drop two explosive rounds on the check post.

Nearly 20 killed

Nearly 20 police personnel and civilians have been killed in a wave of terrorist attacks across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa over the past two days, a police official said on Thursday.

"Over the past 48 hours, 15 police personnel and four civilians have been killed in terrorist incidents across various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa," a senior police official told AFP.

Bomb explosion

A powerful explosion targeted a police vehicle near Al-Harmain Hotel on the Quetta-Karachi National Highway in Surab, resulting in the martyrdom of one police officer.

The officer has been identified as Khalil Ahmed, a resident of Surab, who died on the spot.

According to eyewitnesses, the powerful blast was heard far and wide. The explosion shattered the windows of nearby shops and buildings and spread panic throughout the area.

Initial reports suggested that explosive material had been planted under a bridge or beneath the road, which detonated as the vehicle passed over it. The armored vehicle was severely damaged, and nearby buildings and shops also sustained partial damage.

(With additional input from Bureau reports)