Security forces have foiled an infiltration attempt by more than 100 terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Hangu district.
Police, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and other security agencies carried out a joint operation to stop the attempt. Following the operation, schools, nearby properties, and mountainous areas were cleared.
Six civilians were martyred and 13 others sustained injuries after mortar shells fired by the terrorists hit residential areas. The attackers retreated from the area, taking the bodies of their dead companions and injured militants with them.
Inspector General (IG) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Zulfiqar Hameed paid tribute to the personnel who participated in the operation. He announced rewards along with commendation certificates for them.
IG Zulfiqar Hameed remarked that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police had the capability to completely eliminate Fitna al-Khawarij, adding that no sacrifice would be spared for the protection of the public.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), in a report, said that 85 verified terrorist attacks were recorded in April, down from 146 in March, marking a 42 percent decline, while fatalities from such attacks fell from 106 to 60, extending a downward trajectory that had begun in the previous month.
The report attributed the improvement to Pakistan’s cross-border military campaign against militant groups and Taliban positions between February 26 and March 18, which later gave way to a suspension of hostilities and talks in Urumqi, China.
