ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army has said that at least 12 soldiers and 35 terrorists allegedly belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been killed in two separate operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan is building up a new fiction by calling TTP cadres as proxies of India and name them as Fitna Khwarij in official press releases.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said on Saturday that the operations were conducted in the last four days and had started on September 10. An intelligence-based operation (IBO in Pakistani parlance) 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 ISPR said. Interestingly, the ISPR did not say where these 12 soldiers lost their lives and on what day as has become a norm these days.
Weapons and ammunition were also seized from the terrorists, it said. The ISPR claimed the involvement of Afghan nationals in these terrorist acts. The incidents had happened close to the Afghanistan border and locations which are considered strongholds of TTP.
The ISPR said Pakistan expects the Taliban government in Afghanistan to uphold its responsibilities and deny the use of its soil for terrorist activities against Islamabad. Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, the ISPR said.
Pakistan has seen a surge in terrorism since the TTP ended its ceasefire deal with the government in November 2022, vowing to increase attacks. Since then, despite its best efforts, the Pakistan Army has not been able to dislodge TTP from most tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A report in Dawn said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has vowed “full force response’’ to terrorism after losing 12 soldiers. In these incidents, several soldiers were injured but the ISPR did not give any figures, nor details regarding the nature of injuries suffered by them. In one picture, Sharif was shown as visiting Bannu Combined Military Hospital, along with Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and talking to an injured soldier.
According to Radio Pakistan: “The Prime Minister reaffirmed that Pakistan’s response to terrorism will continue with full force and made it clear that no ambiguity or compromise will be tolerated. He said that terrorist leaders and facilitators responsible for attacks in Pakistan are operating from Afghan soil with the backing of India.’’
Further, it said: “The Prime Minister stated that the Afghan interim government has been clearly told to choose between supporting the khwarij or stand with Pakistan. He highlighted the involvement of infiltrated Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents and stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents currently living in Pakistan.’’
The Prime Minister further said that Pakistan rejected “politicisation and misleading narratives’’ on the issue of terrorism. PM Shehbaz warned that “anyone facilitating or advocating for terrorists or acting as proxies for India was essentially their agent’’ and will be “dealt with accordingly’’.
Shehbaz Sharif praised the “unity and resilience’’ of the nation, particularly the people of KP, for standing like “Banyanum Marsoos (a wall fortified with lead) with the state and armed forces against the Indian proxies’’. Interestingly, Banyanum Marsoos is a term that gained currency during the first week of May this year after Operation Sindoor was launched by India.
