- Military spokesman claims all civilian population has been safely evacuated after detailed verification
- COAS postpones Colombo visit to directly supervise operation in North Waziristan
At least 25 foreign and local terrorists were killed early Tuesday as military jets bombed suspected terrorist hideouts in North Waziristan, the army said in a statement.
An ISPR spokesman said security forces destroyed six hideouts which included a terrorist training camp and a bomb-making factory in Dattakhel Tehsil and Hasokhel area. He said operation Zarb-e-Azb, which was launched this Sunday, was progressing as per plan.
More than 187 militants have been killed since the operation was launched in the tribal region.
At least 15 suspected terrorists were killed in bombings on militant compounds in Hasokhel and Dattakhel areas of the tribal agency, while 10 terrorists were killed when jets pounded militant hideouts in the Mir Ali Tehsil.
“The cordon around all terrorists hideouts including in the town of Mirali and Miramshah has been further tightened and reinforced,” said the ISPR statement.
‘Civilian population evacuated’
The military spokesman claimed all civilian population has been safely evacuated after detailed verification.
“Necessary logistics and administrative arrangements for internally displaced people (IDPs) have been made by the political administration and the disaster management agency,” the spokesman said.
“The security of (the) IDP camp is being ensured by army troops,” he said, adding that air surveillance of the operational area was still underway.
Meanwhile, curfew remained imposed in the area for the fifth consecutive day as all routes leading to North Waziristan remained sealed with no one allowed to move out.
Locals have been told to either register at IDP camps in FR Bannu Baka Khel or leave with relatives moving out of the tribal agency.
New checkposts have been established near Miramshah Bazaar, which has been cordoned off to restrict movement. Tanks have also been deployed at checkposts, and aerial surveillance is also taking place.
North Waziristan has been isolated by the deployment of troops along its border with neighbouring tribal regions to block movement of terrorists in and out of the agency.
Army chief postpones Sri Lanka visit
Also, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif has postponed his scheduled four-day visit to Sri Lanka.
The ISPR spokesman said the army chief was scheduled to leave for Colombo on Tuesday but postponed it due to ongoing operation in North Waziristan
Sources said that the army chief is directly supervising operation Zarb-e-Azb and holding daily meetings with concerned military commanders.
