Visited Tirah Valley and examined front line posts
RAWALPINDI/KHYBER AGENCY : Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif expressing satisfaction over the pace of the military operation against the terrorists has lauded the highest state of morale and professionalism of the security personnel engaged in operation against the terrorists various organizations hiding in the most rugged terrain.
ISPR said that the Army Chief stated this was speaking during his visit to front line troops busy in operations along Pak-Afghan Border in Khyber Agency during which he was also given detailed briefing by Operational commander on progress of operations and gains consolidated so far.
COAS General Raheel Sharif said that clearance of mountain passes in Rajgal despite this being the most treacherous terrain where terrorists were entrenched on the high mountain passes to stay both sides of the border, is a manifestation of Pakistan’s commitment to check cross border movement and will go a long way in helping our initiative of Border Management.
He directed enhanced vigilance and pro-active approach to stop any type of movement of terrorists. While talking to troops, the Army Chief said that the nation and valiant Army had paid a huge price to fight terrorism.
“We will commit all efforts to clear all remote pockets and sleeper cells of terrorists till their total elimination from anywhere in the country,” the COAS said.INP reported.
Earlier on arrival on the front lines, COAS General Raheel was received by Corps Commander Peshawar Lt Gen Hidayat Ur Rehman.
Army chief Gen.Raheel Sharief paid a surprise visit to Tirah Valley o Friday and examined the front line posts.
Flanked by Corp Commander Hadayatullah and Inspector General Frontier Corp (IGFC)Shaheen Mazhar Khattak Gen.Raheel Sharief inspected the posts, located on Pak-Afghan border,Tirah and was briefed by the security situation being prevailed in the area. He also met and addressed to the troops holding positions at the front line posts.
Following clearing of plane areas of Khyber Agency in Daraghlum, Bia-Daraghlum, Khyber 1 and 2 operations, launched since 2009, Khyber 3 operation has been kicked off in mountainous area of Tirah Valley of Khyber.
The volunteers of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP),Bara base outfit,Lashkar-e-Islam(LI) and other defunct organizations took refuge in densely forest and hilly territory of Rajgal,Koki Khel of Tirah after purge operations was initiated in down towns. To eliminate militancy, a ruthless forces operation was inevitable to clear the bordering area of the country.
According to the local tribesmen, Rajgal has a sharing border with Afghanistan district Nazyaan, an easy way to cross to Afghanistan after executing mal-practices in the Pakistan. Meanwhile, two soldiers got injured when unknown miscreants open indiscriminate firing from across the border at troops here in Jungle one area of Tirah Valley.
The wounded troops who were identified as Ghulam Yaseen and Sajid were shifted to Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar for medical aid, forces said.
