3 terrorists killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa engagements: ISPR

Three terrorists were killed in two separate engagements with security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber and South Waziristan districts, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

A statement from the Inter Services Public Relations issued today said that an intelligence-based operation was conducted in Khyber’s general area of Bara.

“During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged” the location of the terrorists and eliminated two, Haqyar Afridi alias Khyberay and Gulla Jan.

The ISPR said that in another incident, the movement of a terrorist group that was trying to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was detected by security forces in South Waziristan.

“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate,” the ISPR said, adding that one terrorist was killed while three were injured.

It said the two engagements took place on Thursday and Friday.

“Pakistan has consistently been asking Interim Afghan Government to ensure effective border management on their side of the border,” the ISPR said, adding that Afghan authorities were expected to fulfil their obligations and deny the use of their soil by terrorists for perpetuating terrorism against Pakistan.

“Security forces of Pakistan are determined and remain committed to secure its border and eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country.”

President Asif Ali Zardari praised security forces for the successful operations.

“The nefarious intentions of the enemies of humanity will continue to be crushed in the same way. The entire nation stands with the fearless youth of the security forces in the war on terror. The government is active for the complete elimination of terrorism from the country,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement paying tribute to the security forces.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also congratulated the security forces and said terrorism would be wiped out from the country.

The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and KP, with at least 55 security personnel being martyred in the first three weeks of November, according to a think tank.

Attacks escalated after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan terrorist group broke a fragile ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.

The Foreign Office on Thursday expressed grave concern over the growing threat posed by terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, urging the Taliban administration in Kabul to take decisive action against militants sheltering in Afghanistan.

Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had emphasised the regional and global ramifications of unchecked terrorism from Afghanistan.