Monday, June 16, 2014
ISLAMABAD (BNA) At least 120 suspected militants were killed in North Waziristan tribal region during the 'Zarb-e-Azb' operation.
Earlier, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) quoted to have said that at least 105 militants had been killed on Saturday.
At least 15 more suspected militants were killed in the early hours of Monday in the Mirali tehsil of North Waziristan tribal region where as several compounds were also destroyed, increasing the death toll to 120.
A day ago, the Pakistan Army launched a comprehensive operation against foreign and local terrorists who were hiding in sanctuaries in North Waziristan tribal region, a week after the brazen insurgent attack on the country's busiest airport in Karachi.
“The operation had been named Zarb-e-Azb,” said an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement on Sunday.
“Using North Waziristan as a base, these terrorists had waged a war against the state of Pakistan and had been disrupting our national life in all its dimensions, stunting our economic growth and causing enormous loss of life and property.”
“They had also paralysed life within the agency and had perpetually terrorised the entire peace loving and patriotic local population,” the statement quoted DG ISPR Maj Gen Asim Bajwa as saying.
He said, “Our valiant armed forces have been tasked to eliminate these terrorists regardless of hue and color, along with their sanctuaries.”
“With the support of the entire nation, and in coordination with other state institutions and Law Enforcement Agencies, these enemies of the state will be denied space anywhere across the country.”
“As always, armed forces of Pakistan will not hesitate in rendering any sacrifice for the motherland,” it added.
The all-important announcement came after overnight air strikes by Pakistani jets that killed more than 50 foreign militants, mostly Uzbeks, in North Waziristan.
Strikes took place in the Boya tehsil, Degan forests and Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan.
After the announcement of the full-scale operation in the North Waziristan area, a security official on ground said that thousands of troops have been moved for action, AFP reported.
“Thousands of troops will participate in this action. You can roughly say 25,000 to 30,000 troops will be involved in the operation,” the official said on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to speak to media.
