Security forces in Bajaur have killed four terrorists, including a top Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.
According to the military’s media wing, the movement of a group of terrorists was detected by security forces as they attempted to infiltrate through the Pak-Afghanistan border.
“Own troops effectively engaged and thwarted Khawarij’s attempt to infiltrate,” read a statement issued by ISPR, adding that as a result of precise and skillful engagement, four militants, including a high-value target Amjad alias Mazahim, were sent to hell.
The statement said that the killed TTP commander was second-in-command to Noor Wali, and was the head of Rehbari Shura of Indian proxy Fitna al-Khwarij. He was highly wanted by Pakistani law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and the government had also issued on his head a bounty amounting Rs5 million for perpetuating numerous terrorist activities inside Pakistan.
“Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored Kharji found in the area as a relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision Azm-e-Istehkam by security forces, and LEAs will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” the ISPR statement read.
The military’s media wing further said that the TTP leadership, while residing in Afghanistan, is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of terrorists amid effective security operations by Pakistan.
“It is once again reiterated that the interim Afghan government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by kharji proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan. It also validates our stance that Afghan soil is continuously being used as a safe haven by khwarij belonging to Fitna al-Khwarij against Pakistan,” the ISPR said.
“The security forces remain resolute and unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers,” the statement concluded.
It may be noted that the operation and subsequent come while Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in peace talks in Türkiye.
The talks follow week-long clashes between the two neighbours earlier this month amid Islamabad’s repeated demands against Afghan support, and the use of Afghan soil, for terror activities in Pakistan.