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Security officials stand guard at a site. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KOHAT/RAWALPINDI:
A total of eleven terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij were neutralised in separate counter-terrorism operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) Kohat and Lakki Marwat districts on Sunday.
According to officials, six terrorists were killed during an operation conducted by the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Lachi area within the jurisdiction of Lachi police station in Kohat district.
Initial reports indicated that the terrorists had already taken positions in the area and were lying in wait to target security personnel. As soon as the CTD operational team reached the site, the terrorists launched a sudden attack.
CTD personnel responded swiftly and effectively, while Kohat police also rushed to the scene after receiving information about the exchange of fire and joined the operation. Following an intense gun battle, six terrorists linked with Fitna al-Khawarij were killed.
A large-scale search and sanitisation operation was launched in the area immediately after the exchange of fire. During the search, the bodies of the six terrorists were recovered along with a cache of weapons and ammunition, including four hand grenades, six SMG rifles, six bandoliers, twelve spare magazines and a large quantity of cartridges, indicating that the terrorists had planned a prolonged fight.
Authorities said the search operation in the area was continuing to ensure that no other terrorists were hiding in the vicinity, while the process of identifying the slain terrorists and verifying their previous records had also begun.
Meanwhile, security forces conducted a separate intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat district on reported presence of terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, the ISPR said in a statement.
During the operation, troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ hideout and after an intense exchange of fire, five terrorists were killed.
Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the slain terrorists who, according to officials, had remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area. A sanitisation operation is underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam”.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the security forces, K-P Police and the CTD for the successful operations against terrorists in Kohat and Lakki Marwat.
The president said the elimination of terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, who were carrying out terrorism under foreign patronage and attempting to damage peace in Pakistan with Indian backing, was an important step toward restoring stability. He said the nation stood shoulder to shoulder with its brave security forces to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the professionalism and bravery of the security forces and CTD personnel for eliminating the terrorists.
