71 terrorists eliminated along Afghan border in three days: ISPR

RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD: Security forces have eliminated 71 Khwarij in three days anti-infiltration along Pakistan-Afghanistan border in North Waziristan District.

Following the successful engagements by the security forces in North Waziristan District (NWD) from April 25 to 27 during which 54 Khwarij were sent to hell, on night of April 27 and 28, a deliberate sanitization operation was conducted in surrounding areas of Hassan Khel, North Waziristan District along Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

During the conduct of the operation, 17 more Khwarij, who were operating on behest of their foreign masters, were hunted down and successfully neutralized while weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the killed Khwarij.

The number of Khwarij killed in three days anti-infiltration operation has risen to 71, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said. The statement maintained that security forces remain committed to secure the nation’s frontiers and thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Pakistan.

Earlier, from April 25 to 25, security forces observed movement of a large group of Khwarij, who were trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, in general area Hassan Khel.

Troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. As a result of precise and skillful engagement, all 54 Khwarij were killed.

Intelligence reports indicate that this group of Khwarij was specifically infiltrating on behest of their “foreign masters” to undertake high profile terrorist activities inside Pakistan, the ISPR statement said.

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday paid tribute to the security forces for killing 17 Khwarij terrorists during an operation in Hassan Khel area of North Waziristan.

In separate statements, the president and the prime minister lauded the bravery of the security forces for eliminating 17 terrorists of Fitna-al-Khawarij.

President Zardari reaffirmed to continuing security operations until the complete eradication of terrorism. “The successful operations by our security forces against terrorists are commendable,” the president said, vowing to uphold the unwavering commitment to the defence of the country and the elimination of terrorism.

PM Shehbaz pointed out “the killing of 71 Khwarij terrorists during the security operations in North Waziristan over the past three days clearly shows that our law enforcement agencies are fully determined and vigilant in their mission to eliminate terrorism”. “We will continue to thwart the nefarious designs of these terrorists (enemies of humanity), in the same resolute manner,” he added.

The prime minister expressed the determination to continue war against terrorism until the complete eradication of this menace from the country.