-ISPR says militants gunned down during ‘intense fire exchange’
-Weapons and ammunition recovered from terrorists
-Pakistan Army reiterates resolve to root out terrorism
-Punjab CTD says 12 arrested-terrorists linked to Al Qaeda, TTP
RAWALPINDI/LAHORE: Pakistan Security Forces have killed at least five terrorists while arresting a dozen more in two separate operations conduct-ed on Friday.
Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement that five terrorists killed in heavy exchanges of fire during Intelligence-Based Operations (IBOs) in North and South Waziristan districts yesterday.
Weapons, ammunition and a large quantity of equipment were also recovered from the killed terrorists, a news release by military’s media affairs wing said.
“The Pakistan Army is determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism from every inch of our territory with an unflinching resolve,” the ISPR add-ed.
Besides, the Punjab Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) arrested 12 alleged terrorists, belonging to the banned Al-Qaeda and Tehreek-i-Taliban Paki-stan (TTP), it said in a statement released on Friday.
The statement added that they were arrested during a “covert operation” from three cities of the province, including Lahore, from where three “terror-ists” were arrested “nearby a sensitive area”. The CTD spokesperson said the “terrorist network wanted to conduct subversive activities in sensitive districts”.
Explosives and material used to make suicide jackets were also recovered from the alleged terrorists, the statement added.
The CTD said they were identified during the interrogation of 61 suspects. Investigations were under way after registering a case against them, it further said.
In the current week, 797 combing operations have been conducted, during which 159 suspects have been arrested, the CTD stated. The CTD assert-ed: “No stone will be left unturned in making terrorist elements reach their end.” Over the past few months, the law and order situation in the country — especially in KP and Balochistan has worsened — with terrorist groups execut-ing attacks with near impunity across the country.
Since the talks with the TTP broke down in November, the militant group has intensified its attacks, particularly targeting the police in KP and areas bordering Afghanistan. Insurgents in Balochistan have also stepped up their violent activities and formalised a nexus with the outlawed TTP.
An attack by the outlawed TTP on Karachi Police Headquarters was the most high-profile attack in the month of February. A month before that, a pow-erful suicide blast in a mosque in Peshawar Police Lines killed 84 people and injured many others.
According to a report released recently by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), militant attacks witnessed a surge in the month of February this year, but the resultant deaths were down as compared to January.
The report said Punjab witnessed four militant attacks in which two people were killed and eight injured while 10 people were killed and 18 injured in three reported militant attacks in Sindh. –Agencies
