Dubai: Pakistan’s army has lost more than 490 soliders, while more than 3,000 terrorists have been killed over the last two years, since the launch of Operation Zarb-e-Azab, an army spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, to mark the second anniversary of Operation Zarb-e-Azb which began on June 24, 2014, Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) — the media wing of the Pakistan armed forces — said the army would continue its operation to eliminate terrorist groups in a number of areas.
Lt General Bajwa also gave a presentation listing the major achievements of the operation so far.
Bajwa said some 3,600 square kilometres were cleared initially in the operation, which has gone up 4,304 sq km in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and North Waziristan, adding that 992 hideouts have been destroyed thus far, with 253 tonnes of explosives seized.
More than 7,500 factories which manufactured weapons and bullets were destroyed as well, he added.
“There are just the last few pockets remaining in the Shawal valley,” Bajwa said.
He added that tbe armed forces recovered ‘sophisticated weapons’ from terrorists, which they claimed had been stolen from US troops.
As the situation has got tense due to clashes between Afghan and Pakistan border guards leading to the death of a Pakistani major this week, Lt General Bajwa said that border management remains a challenge and management mechanisms are an upcoming focus.
The army’s spokesman said once the decision to initiate operations in the tribal areas was taken, the armed forces, in one of the largest deployments in the nation’s history, started laying multiple layers of cordon around the areas which had been earmarked for clearance.
“We took the people of the area in confidence, and they asked us to deal with the militants as we see fit,” said Bajwa as was quoted by the Pakistani media.
Lt General Bajwa reiterated that Pakistani soil will not be allowed to be used for terrorist activity, and the peace and security achieved will be maintained and further progress will be made in the coming days and months.
He said that the Operation Zarb-e-Azb will continue.
