RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed 22 militants during an ongoing sanitisation operation in Shewa area of North Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following intelligence reports of militant presence.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the operation began on May 17 in the general area of Shewa, where troops engaged militants in an intense exchange of fire.
The ISPR said the killed militants were part of what it described as “Fitna-al-Khwarij,” a term used by the state for outlawed insurgent elements allegedly operating in the region.
Weapons and ammunition were recovered from the site, ISPR said, adding that the militants had been involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area.
Security forces have cordoned off the region and a clearance operation is continuing to eliminate any remaining militants.
ISPR further said intelligence evidence suggested that the militants had coerced and intimidated local residents, using them as human shields to ensure safe movement in the area.
The military described such actions as “deplorable” and said there could be no justification for endangering civilian lives.
The statement said the broader counterterrorism campaign under the national security framework “Azm-e-Istehkam” will continue with full force to eliminate foreign-supported militancy from the country.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari praised security forces for a successful operation in North Waziristan in which 22 militants were killed during an ongoing clearance operation, according to a statement.
The president commended the professional capabilities of the security forces for what he described as effective action against militants operating under what the state refers to as “Fitna-al-Khwarij.”
He said the use of civilians as human shields by militants reflected their brutality and inhumane conduct, and could not be justified under any circumstances.
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Zardari also paid tribute to the courage, determination and sacrifices of personnel taking part in counterterrorism operations under the national campaign “Azm-e-Istehkam,” saying the nation stood firmly behind its armed forces in the fight against militancy.
