Eleven military personnel, including a Lieutenant Colonel and a major, were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Orakzai district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Wednesday.
A statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that last night, security forces conducted an IBO in Orakzai district on the reported presence of terrorists belonging to Indian proxy Fitna Al Khwarij.
Fitna Al Khawarij is the state-designated term for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
“During the conduct of operation, 19 Indian-sponsored khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” the ISPR said.
It added that during the exchange of fire, 39-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Tariq, who was leading his troops from the front, and his second-in-command, 33-year-old Major Tayyab Rahat, embraced martyrdom along with nine of their men.
The soldiers were identified as 38-year-old Naib Subedar Azam Gul, 35-year-old Naik Adil Hussain, 34-year-old Naik Gul Ameer, 31-year-old Lance Naik Sher Khan, 32-year-old Lance Naik Talish Faraz, 32-year-old Lance Naik Irshad Hussain, 28-year-old Sepoy Tufail Khan, 23-year-old Sepoy Aqib Ali and 24-year-old Sepoy Muhammad Zahid.
The ISPR said that a sanitisation operation was being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored kharji found in the area. It further stated that security forces were “determined to wipe out the menace of Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve”.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif paid tributes to the country’s security forces for killing 19 terrorists and also expressed grief over the martyrdom of the soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Arif and Major Rahat, according to a statement issued by the prime minister’s office.
“The sacrifices of the fearless sons of security forces will never go in vain,” he said.
“We will crush the nefarious intentions of Indian-backed terrorists. We will not allow elements that harm Pakistan’s integrity to succeed,” he added. PM Shehbaz said the government was determined to eradicate the menace of terrorism from the country.
A statement issued by the PPP said party chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had also expressed grief over the martyrdom of the 11 security personnel and paid them tributes.
The statement posted on the PPP’s X account said Bilawal extended condolences to the families of the martyred and expressed solidarity with them.
“Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs,” the statement said, adding that he reaffirmed his “unwavering support for the security forces during the ongoing operation for the elimination of terrorists”.
