12 militants killed, PM Nawaz visits corps HQ

PM was given detailed briefing on different aspects of ongoing operation, military’s strategy to deal with terrorists.

ISLAMABAD:

Air strikes mounted by security forces killed at least a dozen terrorists, including foreigners, in North Waziristan Agency on Friday – the same day that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif embarked on his first visit to the Peshawar corps headquarters since the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azb.

The premier was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan, Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and Minister for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Lt General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch.

According to officials, the PM was given a detailed briefing on different aspects of the ongoing operation, as well as the military’s strategy to deal with local and foreign terrorists. He was told that the operation was progressing according to plan as security forces cordoned off militant strongholds in the tribal agency.

The premier was told that so far 232 suspected terrorists were killed during the air strikes while eight soldiers embraced martyrdom and 7 others were injured. According to Radio Pakistan, the PM was satisfied with the progress of the offensive and said the nation backed the security forces in this battle. “The goal of achieving peace is not very far and I have full confidence that with the help of Almighty Allah, we will win this war,” the PM said.

He voiced confidence that the federal government, army and other institutions would provide assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs).

In a statement issued here by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), three terrorist hideouts in Qutab Khel area, on the outskirts of Miranshah, were destroyed by Cobra gunship helicopters. It was an integrated action by Cobra gunships, artillery and snipers, ISPR said. At least 12 terrorists, including foreigners, were killed in the strikes. A cache of arms and ammunition was also destroyed.

The military’s media wing also said that at least 27 suspected militants were arrested by security forces at check posts in Mirali and Miranshah as they tried to flee the cordoned off areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 21^st, 2014.