ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces lost two soldiers while carrying out an intelligence-based operation in the country’s northwestern Buner district on Saturday, during which a high-value militant target was killed and two of his accomplices were injured.
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in militant violence for well over a year after the banned militant network, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), called off a fragile ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
Since then, there has been a resurgence of deadly suicide bombings targeting security forces, political rallies and Chinese workers, primarily in the western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which are situated adjacent to Afghanistan.
“On 13 April 2024, security forces conducted an intelligence based operation in Buner District, on reported presence of terrorists,” the military’s media wing, ISPR, announced in a statement.
“During the conduct of operation, after an intense fire exchange, HVT [high-value target] Terrorist ring leader Saleem [alias] Rabbani was [killed], while two other terrorists were injured,” it added.
The ISPR said the targeted militant was involved in several militant activities against the security forces as well as extortion and target killings of civilians.
It continued that he was wanted by the law enforcement agencies and the government had fixed a bounty of Rs5 million on him.
“During the operation, two brave sons of soil, Lance Havildar Mudassar Mehmood (age-36 yrs; resident of district Rawalpindi) and Lance Naik Haseeb Javed (age-27 yrs; resident of district Poonch, AJ&K), having fought gallantly, embraced Shahadat [martyrdom],” the ISPR said.
The statement informed the security forces were carrying out sanitization operation in the area to eliminate any other militants found in the area.
Military says two soldiers, militant leader killed in operation in Pakistan’s northwest
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Military says two soldiers, militant leader killed in operation in Pakistan’s northwest
- The operation was conducted after security forces received information on militant presence in Buner district
- The militant killed in the operation was involved in extortion and target killings, with a bounty of Rs5 million
Pakistan FM discusses developments in Asia, Middle East with Bangladeshi, Malaysian counterparts
- Ishaq Dar speaks to foreign ministers of both countries amid tensions in Yemen, strained ties between Delhi, Dhaka
- Dar reaffirms commitment to enhance cooperation with Bangladesh, Malaysia in telephone call with both counterparts
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar discussed evolving developments in the Asia and Middle East regions with his counterparts from Bangladesh and Malaysia, the foreign office said on Sunday, reaffirming Islamabad’s resolve to enhance cooperation with both states.
Tensions escalated in Yemen this week after a Saudi-led coalition carried out a “limited” airstrike targeting weapons shipments from the UAE to the port city of Mukalla in southern Yemen.
The coalition forces spokesperson said the weapons were meant to support the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces, backed by the UAE, in Yemen’s Hadramaut and Al-Mahra “with the aim of fueling the conflict.”
Pakistan has expressed solidarity with Saudi Arabia and called on regional powers to resolve tensions with dialogue and diplomacy.
“DPM/FM Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar held a telephone conversation with FM of Malaysia, Mohamad bin Hajji Hasan,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
“They also exchanged views on recent regional developments, including the evolving situation in Asia and the Middle East.”
In a separate statement, the foreign office said Dar held a telephonic conversation with Bangladesh’s Foreign Adviser Touhid Hossain.
The two leaders also discussed developments in the Middle East and Asia, agreeing to remain in close contact.
“The two leaders reviewed Pakistan–Bangladesh relations and reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation across various sectors,” the statement said.
The developments also take place in light of Bangladesh’s rising political tensions with Pakistan’s arch-rival India.
Tensions between the two countries have surged in recent weeks after a 25-year-old Hindu man was lynched and burned publicly in Bangladesh following allegations of blasphemy. India’s foreign ministry last month condemned what it called “unremitting hostility against minorities” in Bangladesh.
A few days later, Hindutva activists tried to storm the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, rallying against the neighboring nation for what they said was Dhaka’s failure to protect its Hindu minorities.
Ties between Dhaka and New Delhi have remained strained ever since the ouster of former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina in 2024, when she fled to India after her ouster in violent protests in the country.
India has so far not accepted Bangladesh’s request to extradite Hasina, further stoking tensions between the countries.
