RAWALPINDI: Security forces have killed 22 Khwarij in North Waziristan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Based on credible intelligence leads with respect to presence of Khwarij, from May 27 onwards, an area sanitisation operation is being conducted by security forces in general area Shewa in North Waziristan. During the operation, troops effectively engaged Khwarij location, and after intense exchange of fire, 22 Khwarij, belonging to Indian-sponsored Fitna-al-Khwarij have been sent to hell, in last 24 hours, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement on Tuesday evening said. Weapons and ammunition have also been recovered from killed Indian-sponsored Khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.
Presently the sanitisation operation is in progress and area has been effectively cordoned off by security forces. Evidence further confirms that Khwarij coerced and intimidated the local population, forcing their compliance to obtain safe passage using them as human shield.
“Such deplorable acts are highly condemnable and no justification can rationalise the endangerment of public lives,” the ISPR statement said.
Sanitisation operation continues to eliminate holed up Khwarij from the area, as relentless counter-terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country, it concluded.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari paid tribute to the security forces for eliminating 22 terrorists of Fitna al-Khwarij. In a statement issued by the Press Wing of the President’s House on Tuesday, the president appreciated the professional capabilities of the security forces for carrying out an effective operation against the Indian-sponsored Fitna al-Khwarij. He stated that using the local population as human shields is evidence of the brutality and inhumanity of Fitna al-Khwarij. Zardari also praised the morale, bravery and sacrifices of the personnel participating in ongoing operations under the counter-terrorism campaign “Azm-e-Istehkam.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also paid tribute to the security forces for conducting a successful operation against Fitna al-Khwarij.
He praised the professionalism and bravery of the security forces for eliminating the terrorists during the operation, a PM Office news release said.
Shehbaz said that under the vision of ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’, Pakistan’s security forces were achieving significant successes in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
“Our security forces are standing like a wall of steel against terrorism,” he stated, reaffirming the government’s commitment to eradicating all forms of terrorism from the country.
He further emphasized that the nation remained determined to ensure lasting peace and stability through continued counter-terrorism efforts and unwavering support for the armed forces.
