Islamabad/Peshawar, Sep 14: At least 19 soldiers and 45 terrorists have been killed in clashes in Pakistan’s restive northwest, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowing to respond with full force against the terrorists.
According to the Pakistan army, 45 militants were killed in clashes across three different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from September 10 to 13.
Sharif, accompanied by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Bannu and attended a high-level counter-terrorism meeting, Radio Pakistan reported. He said Pakistan’s response to terrorism will continue with “full force” and asserted that no ambiguity or compromise would be tolerated.
The prime minister alleged that terrorist leaders and facilitators behind the attacks in Pakistan are operating from Afghan soil. Claiming the involvement of infiltrated Afghan nationals in recent incidents, he emphasised the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents living in Pakistan.
Sharif also visited Bannu’s military hospital to meet the injured soldiers and, along with the army chief, attended the funeral prayers of 12 soldiers killed in South Waziristan.
According to the army, 22 TTP terrorists were killed in Bajaur district during an intelligence-based operation. In another encounter in South Waziristan, 13 terrorists were killed, but 12 soldiers also lost their lives in the exchange of fire.
In a third incident, seven soldiers and 10 terrorists were killed after an operation in Lal Qilla Maidan of Lower Dir district.
The army said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the militants and claimed intelligence reports confirmed the direct involvement of Afghan nationals in the attacks. It urged the interim Afghan government to deny the use of its soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
