13 terrorists killed as infiltration bids foiled
Security forces killed 13 terrorists while foiling two separate infiltration attempts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the military's media wing said on Thursday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the incidents took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, when terrorists belonging to the "Indian-sponsored" Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attempted to cross into Pakistan.
According to the ISPR, security forces detected the movement of a group attempting to infiltrate through the border in Mohmand district.
"Own troops effectively engaged this group of khwarij. As a result of precise and skilful engagement, eight khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khwarij were sent to hell," the statement said.
The term Fitna al-Khwarij is used by the state to refer to terrorists affiliated with the banned TTP.
The ISPR said another infiltration attempt was foiled in North Waziristan district, where security forces engaged a group of terrorists in an intense exchange of fire, neutralising five.
The statement said the engagements once again underscored Pakistan's stance regarding the failure of the Afghan Taliban regime to ensure effective border management on their side.
"Afghan Taliban regime must fulfil its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by khwarij and prevent the involvement of its citizens in terrorism inside Pakistan," the ISPR said.
It added that security forces remained resolute in their commitment to defend the country's frontiers.
According to the ISPR, sanitisation operations were being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, adding that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision "Azm-e-Istehkam", approved by the federal apex committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace to eradicate foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised security forces for foiling infiltration attempts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
In a statement, the prime minister lauded the professionalism and operational readiness of the officers and personnel of the security forces for successfully thwarting attempts to infiltrate into Pakistan from Afghanistan.
"The security forces effectively foiled infiltration attempts in Mohmand and North Waziristan and killed 13 khwarij," the prime minister said, adding that the forces had once again demonstrated their professional capabilities in defending the country's frontiers.
"War against terrorism will continue until the complete elimination of this menace from the country," he said. "Every soldier of the Pakistan Army is engaged day and night in safeguarding the homeland."
PM Shehbaz said the entire nation, including himself, stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces in their unwavering commitment to the defence of the country.