15 terrorists killed as security forces foil infiltration attempt along Pak-Afghan border: ISPR

Security forces have killed at least 15 terrorists in a 36-hour operation aimed at thwarting an infiltration attempt along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border near North Waziristan, according to the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The terrorists were part of a group linked to the Indian-sponsored Fitna Al Khwarij faction. The terrorist infiltration attempt was detected during the night between August 31 and September 1, as the ISPR reported.

The security forces responded promptly and professionally to the threat, engaging the terrorists over a period of 36 hours. The operation was described as "precise and skillful," resulting in the death of 15 terrorists. A substantial amount of weapons and ammunition was recovered during a follow-up cleaning operation, which further exposed the terrorists' nefarious designs and their facilitators' intentions to destabilize Pakistan, the ISPR added.

This incident reinforced Pakistan's position that the Afghan Taliban regime has failed to prevent Afghan soil from being used by terrorist organizations for cross-border attacks. The ISPR also criticized the Afghan Taliban for not ensuring proper border management and upholding its international commitments. The military stated that ongoing sanitization operations were being carried out to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area.

The counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue at full strength to eradicate foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both commended the security forces for their professionalism, bravery, and dedication to defending the country's borders and maintaining peace and stability. Both leaders assured the public that externally backed terrorist elements would not be able to spread unrest in Pakistan.

They emphasized that the ongoing counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam would persist with full resolve until terrorism was eradicated from the nation. The prime minister reaffirmed the entire nation's pride in its brave armed forces, which are fighting to protect the country's borders and national security.