RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed 11 terrorists in an operation in South Waziristan’s Wana district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday as the country grapples with growing militancy.
In a statement, the army’s media wing said that while conducting an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the general area, security forces successfully “thwarted a high-profile terrorist activity”.
A local terrorist commander, Hafeezullah, and two suicide bombers were among the militants killed, the army’s media wing said, adding that a large quantity of arms and ammunition were also recovered in the IBO.
ISPR said that the slain terrorists were active in terrorist operations against security forces and target killing of police in South Waziristan district.
Terrorism in Pakistan has increased recently after the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended a ceasefire with Islamabad in November last year and increased militant activity across the country.
After the TTP reportedly regrouped in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, Pakistan repeatedly asked the neighboring country’s interim government to ensure its territory was not used for terrorism. But the Taliban-led government could not live up to expectations.
According to data provided by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, militant activity has been mainly concentrated in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, accounting for 31 percent of attacks during the past year and 67 percent of attacks since then.
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in its annual report said that Pakistan witnessed 376 terrorist attacks during the past year, with most of these attacks attributed to banned terrorist organizations such as the TT. P, ISIS and Balochistan accepted. Liberation Army (BLA).
In light of the increasing incidents of terrorism, the National Security Committee (NSC) on January 2 decided that no country would be allowed to provide shelter and facilities to terrorists, and Pakistan should protect its people. All rights reserved.
“It [terrorism] will be tackled with the full might of the state. According to a handout from the Prime Minister’s Office, the committee decided that Pakistan’s security was impenetrable, and maintained the state’s full writ over every inch of territory.
