19 Soldiers, 45 Militants Killed During Three Different Clashes In Pakistan

<p>Islamabad/Peshawar, Sep 13 (PTI) At least 19 soldiers and 45 militants have been killed in clashes in Pakistan&rsquo;s restive northwest, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday vowing to respond with full force against the terrorists.</p>
<p>According to the Pakistan army, at least 45 militants have been killed in clashes in three different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province from September 10 to 13.</p>
<p>Sharif, accompanied by army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, visited Bannu and attended a high-level meeting focused on counter-terrorism, Radio Pakistan reported.</p>
<p>The prime minister said Pakistan’s &ldquo;response to terrorism will continue with full force and made it clear that no ambiguity or compromise will be tolerated&rdquo;.</p>
<p>He alleged that the terrorist leaders and facilitators responsible for attacks in Pakistan are operating from Afghan soil.</p>
<p>Claiming the involvement of infiltrated Afghan nationals in terrorist incidents, he stressed the urgent need for the repatriation of illegal Afghan residents currently living in Pakistan.</p>
<p>Sharif said Pakistan rejects &ldquo;politicisation and misleading narratives&rdquo; on the issue of terrorism.</p>
<p>During the visit, the prime minister and the field marshal also visited Bannu&rsquo;s military hospital to meet the injured soldiers.</p>
<p>He along with the army chief also participated in the funeral prayers of the 12 soldiers killed in an operation in South Waziristan district.</p>
<p>According to two different statements by the army, 45 terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were killed in three separate operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.</p>
<p>An intelligence-based operation was conducted by the security forces in Bajaur district and in an intense exchange of fire, 22 terrorists belonging to the TTP were killed, it said.</p>
<p>In another encounter that took place in South Waziristan district, 13 TTP terrorists were neutralised and 12 soldiers lost their lives in the intense exchange of fire, the statement said.</p>
<p>Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, it said.</p>
<p>The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military&rsquo;s media wing, claimed the involvement of Afghan nationals in these terrorist acts.</p>
<p>In the third incident, the security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation on Thursday in Lal Qilla Maidan of Lower Dir district on the reported presence of terrorists.</p>
<p>At least seven soldiers and 10 terrorists were killed after an intense exchange of fire, it said.</p>
<p>The army said that intelligence reports unequivocally confirmed the physical involvement of Afghan nationals in these heinous acts.</p>
<p>It added that Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny use of its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.&nbsp;</p>
<p><em><strong>(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)</strong></em></p>