World The Week:Pak Retaliates Against Taliban
After repeated terror attacks on the soil of Pakistan and the latest on the Jinnah International airport in Karachi, showing resolve, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on June 16 that his country has had enough of terrorism and the military operation launched in North Waziristan tribal region would continue until terrorist safe havens are destroyed in the country.
The operation 'Zarb-e-Azb (Strike of the Prophet's Sword) launched by Pakistani army comes days after the terrorist siege at Karachi airport that left 30 people killed.
During the operation 177 Taliban fighters were killed in Degan-Boya and most of those killed were Uzbek militants fighting along with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) rebels. Military spokesman Major General Asim Saleem Bajwa said, ‘Air force jets targeted six hideouts of the militants in Shawal area. In these strikes 27 terrorists were killed.’
“Many of the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) terrorists and their affiliates have also been killed in the strikes. It was a massive blow to the terrorists and one of their main communication centres has been dismantled,” Bajwa said.
During a speech in Parliament on June 16, Nawaz Sharif said he was forced to say yes to the operation after failing to pursue Taliban for peace talks for months now.
The Afghan National Army and Afghan Border Police have also been asked to seal the border on their side and to eliminate Pakistan Taliban terrorists and their sanctuaries in Kunar, Nuristan and other areas of Afghanistan.
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