Three terrorists killed while infiltrating Pak-Afghan border: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: A soldier of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom and three terrorists were killed in two separate clashes near the Afghanistan border, ARY News reported on Sunday, quoting the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

According to military’s media wing, the first incident occurred today when security forces detected the movement of three terrorists attempting to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the general area of Batwar, Bajaur district.

Following a fierce exchange of fire, all three terrorists were killed, and security forces recovered a significant cache of weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the eliminated militants.

In a second incident on the night of December 30/31, terrorists from inside Afghanistan targeted a Pakistani border post in the general area of Spinwam, North Waziristan district.

In response, Pakistan Army troops retaliated effectively, causing considerable losses to the attackers.

During the exchange of fire, Naik Abdul Rauf, a 31-year-old resident of Rahim Yar Khan district, fought gallantly but succumbed to his injuries and embraced martyrdom.

“Pakistan has consistently urged the Interim Afghan Government to enhance border management on their side of the border,” the ISPR said, emphasising that Afghan Taliban must fulfill its obligations to prevent the use of Afghan soil by terrorists for carrying out acts of terrorism against Pakistan.

Pakistan has seen an uptick in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November.

Earlier in the day, ISPR reported that five terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the general Mashkai area of Balochistan’s Awaran district.

According to the military’s media affairs wing, security forces conducted the IBO on the night of Dec 30 and Dec 31 over the reported presence of terrorists.

“During the conduct of the operation, after intense fire exchange between own troops and the terrorists, five terrorists were killed,” it said.

The terrorists’ hideout was also busted and a cache of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered, the ISPR said, adding that a sanitisation operation was being carried out to eliminate other terrorists in the area.