RAWALPINDI: Security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Bannu district on 24 November after receiving reports about the presence of Indian-backed fitna al khwarij militants.
According to ISPR, troops engaged the militants’ hideout, and after an intense exchange of fire, twenty-two militants were sent to hell.
“A sanitisation operation is under way to clear the area of any remaining India-sponsored operatives.”
The statement added that security forces and law enforcement agencies will continue the counterterrorism campaign under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” vision, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, to eliminate foreign-supported terrorism from Pakistan.
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PM Shehbaz hails security forces:
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif hailed the successful operation against Fitna al-Khwarij in Bannu and paid tribute to the security forces. He praised the elimination of 22 militants and said that under the Azm-e-Istehkam framework, security forces are achieving major successes against terrorism. The prime minister said the entire nation stands firmly with Pakistan’s armed forces in this fight and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi hails security forces:
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also commended the troops, saying he salutes the security forces for sending 22 India-sponsored terrorists “to hell” during the Bannu operation. He said the forces once again acted in time to foil the terrorists’ malicious plans.
Naqvi added that the ongoing operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against groups backed by India are commendable and that, with the support of the nation, Pakistan is clearing the country of this threat. He vowed that neither these groups nor their facilitators will be allowed to find refuge anywhere, adding that the nation is proud of its brave security forces.