Security forces killed 10 more militants during a comprehensive area sanitization operation in Zhob district of Balochistan on Wednesday, a day after eight militants were neutralized in an earlier intelligence-based action in the same area, the military’s media wing said on Thursday.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, the latest operation was launched to track down militants belonging to the Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij who were reportedly hiding in the district.
During the operation, security forces tracked the militants across multiple routes and engaged their positions. After an exchange of fire, 10 militants were killed, the statement said, adding that weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from them.
The military described the slain militants as being actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area.
The development followed an intelligence-based operation on February 24 in Zhob district in which eight militants were killed.
Security officials said the follow-up sanitization drive was aimed at eliminating any remaining elements linked to the same network.
The statement added that sanitization operations were continuing in the area and reaffirmed that the counterterrorism campaign under the vision of “Azm-e-Istehkam,” approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would proceed at full pace to eradicate foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country. – LORD
