16 terrorists killed, two soldiers martyred in North Waziristan operations: ISPR

Security forces killed 16 terrorists, including two Afghan nationals, during intelligence-based operations in North Waziristan, while two soldiers were martyred in exchanges of fire, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), multiple suspected militant hideouts were targeted in the Mir Ali, Datta Khel and surrounding areas over the past 12 hours.

The statement said 12 militants, including two Afghan nationals, were killed in Ali Khel, while two militants each were killed in separate engagements in Mir Ali and Datta Khel.

The military identified the militants as members of what it calls Fitna al-Khawarij, a term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which it alleges is backed by India.

Two soldiers embrace martyrdom

Two soldiers named Havildar Asmat Ali, 43, a resident of Swabi, and Naik Aftab Ali, 32, from Mardan, were martyred during the engagements, according to the ISPR.

The statement said both soldiers fought gallantly during the operations and sacrificed their lives.

Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants killed during the engagements, the statement said, adding that they had been involved in several terrorist activities, including attacks on civilians.

Mohsin Naqvi pays tribute to forces

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has praised security forces for killing 16 militants in intelligence-based operations commending their resolve and professional capabilities.

In a statement, Naqvi paid tribute to the two soldiers, Naik Aftab Ali and Havildar Asmat Ali, who were martyred during the operations in North Waziristan.

“Naik Aftab Ali and Havildar Asmat Ali sacrificed their today for the nation’s peaceful tomorrow,” he said, adding that the sacrifices of the martyrs would always be remembered.

The interior minister said intelligence-based operations would continue until terrorism was eliminated from the country. He added that the nation stood alongside security forces in the fight against terrorism and supported their efforts to restore peace.

Security operations to continue

The ISPR said sanitisation operations were under way to eliminate any remaining militants in the area.

It added that counterterrorism operations under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full pace.

The military reiterated its resolve to eliminate what it described as foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country, saying the sacrifices of security personnel further strengthened that commitment.

On November 13, security forces killed 74 terrorists in separate intelligence-based operations across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan. According to ISPR, 43 terrorists were killed in KP during operations conducted over 48 hours, while another 31 were killed in Balochistan since November 3.

In KP, security forces killed 35 terrorists in Mir Ali and eight in Orakzai following intense exchanges of fire. Weapons, ammunition and explosives, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), were also recovered.

Separately, troops killed 31 terrorists during an intelligence-based clearance operation in the Kurram area of Quetta district, which began on November 3. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the targeted hideouts.

The ISPR said the operations targeted militants belonging to what it described as ‘Indian-sponsored’ groups, Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.