Islamabad/Peshawar, Sep 13 (PTI) At least 19 soldiers and 45 militants have been killed in clashes in Pakistan’s restive northwest, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowing to respond with full force against the terrorists.
According to the Pakistan army, at least 45 militants have been killed in clashes in three different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from September 10 to 13.
Sharif, accompanied by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Bannu and attended a high-level meeting focused on counter-terrorism, Radio Pakistan reported.
The prime minister said Pakistan’s “response to terrorism will continue with full force and made it clear that no ambiguity or compromise will be tolerated”.
He alleged that the terrorist leaders and facilitators responsible for attacks in Pakistan are operating from Afghan soil.
Claiming the involvement of infiltrated Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents, he stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents currently living in Pakistan.
Sharif said Pakistan rejects “politicisation and misleading narratives” on the issue of terrorism.
During the visit, the prime minister and the field marshal also visited Bannu’s military hospital to meet the injured soldiers.
He along with the army chief also participated in the funeral prayers of the 12 soldiers killed in an operation in South Waziristan district.
According to two different statements by the army, 45 terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in three separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
An intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in Bajaur district and in an intense exchange of fire, 22 terrorists belonging to the TTP were killed, it said.
In another encounter that took place in South Waziristan district, 13 TTP terrorists were neutralised and 12 soldiers lost their lives in the intense exchange of fire, the statement said.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, it said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, claimed the involvement of Afghan nationals in these terrorist acts.
In the third incident, the security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation on Thursday in Lal Qilla Maidan of Lower Dir district on the reported presence of terrorists.
At least seven soldiers and 10 terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire, it said.
The army said that intelligence reports unequivocally confirmed the physical involvement of Afghan nationals in these heinous acts.
It added that Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
