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Security officials stand guard at a location. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KOHAT/RAWALPINDI:
A total of eleven terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij were neutralized in separate counter-terrorism operations in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Kohat and Lakki Marwat districts on Sunday.
According to officials, six terrorists were killed during an operation conducted by Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in Lachi area within the jurisdiction of Lachi Police Station in Kohat District.
Initial reports indicated that the terrorists had already taken up position in the area and were lying in wait to target security personnel. As soon as the CTD operative team reached the spot, the terrorists launched a sudden attack.
CTD personnel responded quickly and efficiently while Kohat police also rushed to the spot after receiving information about the exchange of fire and joined the operation. After an intense gun battle, six terrorists linked to Fitna al-Khawarij were killed.
A large-scale search and disinfection operation was launched in the area immediately after the exchange of fire. During the search, the bodies of the six terrorists were found along with a cache of arms and ammunition, including four hand grenades, six SMG rifles, six bandoliers, twelve spare magazines and a large quantity of cartridges, indicating that the terrorists had planned a prolonged battle.
Authorities said the search operation in the area continued to ensure that no other terrorists were hiding nearby, while the process of identifying the slain terrorists and verifying their past records had also begun.
Meanwhile, security forces conducted a separate intelligence-based operation in Lakki Marwat district on reported presence of terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, ISPR said in a statement.
During the operation, the troops effectively engaged the hideout of the terrorists and after an intense exchange of fire, five terrorists were killed.
Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the slain terrorists, who, according to officials, had remained actively involved in several terrorist activities in the area. A decontamination operation is underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists as part of the ongoing counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam”.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed the security forces, KP Police and CTD for the successful operations against terrorists in Kohat and Lakki Marwat.
The President said that the elimination of terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, who carried out terrorism under foreign patronage and tried to damage the peace in Pakistan with Indian backing, was an important step towards restoring stability. He said the nation stood shoulder to shoulder with its brave security forces to eliminate foreign sponsored terrorism.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the professionalism and bravery of the security forces and CTD personnel for eliminating the terrorists.
