203 militants killed in Shawal operation: Gen Raheel
Army chief says will expose faces of those who helped kill 'our people, children'
Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif shakes hands with troops during his visit to Shawal Valley on Thursday. PHOTO: ISPR
Army chief General Raheel Sharif said on Thursday 203 militants have been killed in the ongoing operation in Shawal so far.
The army chief who is visiting troops in the Shawal Valley said the faces of those who helped kill “our people and children” will be exposed.
Further, the army chief “directed troops to comprehensively cleanse terrorists from their hideouts, reduce isolated terrorists to their size and sever their link with their abettors anywhere.”
According to the military spokesperson, the army chief met with the soldiers participating in the operation and commended their efforts.
Read: Ground offensive begins: Army troops roll into Shawal Valley
“We will not allow anyone to kill our people, children in the country and will expose all faces involved,” Bajwa quoted the army chief as saying in one of his tweets.
Earlier today, the army chief arrived in Shawal, North Waziristan to review progress in the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants in the region.
Since May, the military has stepped up operations in the deeply forested ravines of the Shawal Valley – which straddles North and South Waziristan agencies along the border with Afghanistan – and softened militant targets in the valley through continued airstrikes.
The deeply forested ravines of Shawal Valley and Datta Khel are popular smuggling routes between Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan, and are dotted with militant bases used as launch pads for attacks on Pakistani forces.
The area is a stronghold of Khan Sajna Said, the leader of a Taliban faction whose name the United States put on a sanctions list of ‘specially designated global terrorists” last year.
Read: Airstrikes destroy militants' training camp, ammunition dump in Shawal: ISPR
Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan used to control all of mountainous NWA, which includes the Shawal Valley and Datta Khel, and runs along the Afghan border. But Pakistan Army recaptured most of the region in a major armed operation, codenamed Zarb-e-Azb, which was launched in June 2014.
North Waziristan used to be the Pakistani Taliban’s last key stronghold until the start of the operation. Officials claim that nearly 3,000 militants have been killed since the launch of the offensive. Authorities have now vowed to intensify operations both in the border regions and across the country.
The army chief who is visiting troops in the Shawal Valley said the faces of those who helped kill “our people and children” will be exposed.
Further, the army chief “directed troops to comprehensively cleanse terrorists from their hideouts, reduce isolated terrorists to their size and sever their link with their abettors anywhere.”
According to the military spokesperson, the army chief met with the soldiers participating in the operation and commended their efforts.
Read: Ground offensive begins: Army troops roll into Shawal Valley
“We will not allow anyone to kill our people, children in the country and will expose all faces involved,” Bajwa quoted the army chief as saying in one of his tweets.
Earlier today, the army chief arrived in Shawal, North Waziristan to review progress in the ongoing Operation Zarb-e-Azb against militants in the region.
Since May, the military has stepped up operations in the deeply forested ravines of the Shawal Valley – which straddles North and South Waziristan agencies along the border with Afghanistan – and softened militant targets in the valley through continued airstrikes.
The deeply forested ravines of Shawal Valley and Datta Khel are popular smuggling routes between Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan, and are dotted with militant bases used as launch pads for attacks on Pakistani forces.
The area is a stronghold of Khan Sajna Said, the leader of a Taliban faction whose name the United States put on a sanctions list of ‘specially designated global terrorists” last year.
Read: Airstrikes destroy militants' training camp, ammunition dump in Shawal: ISPR
Banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan used to control all of mountainous NWA, which includes the Shawal Valley and Datta Khel, and runs along the Afghan border. But Pakistan Army recaptured most of the region in a major armed operation, codenamed Zarb-e-Azb, which was launched in June 2014.
North Waziristan used to be the Pakistani Taliban’s last key stronghold until the start of the operation. Officials claim that nearly 3,000 militants have been killed since the launch of the offensive. Authorities have now vowed to intensify operations both in the border regions and across the country.