Home Latest News Terrorism Bid Foiled in Khyber Agency

Terrorism Bid Foiled in Khyber Agency

by Aamir Iqbal
File Photo. Noorullah Shirzada—AFP

File Photo. Noorullah Shirzada—AFP

Paramilitary forces arrest four would-be suicide bombers after they enter Pakistan from Afghanistan.

Paramilitary personnel in Pakistan on Friday claimed to have foiled an attempted terrorist strike after arresting four would-be suicide bombers and confiscating explosives.

“We received intelligence that some terrorists had entered Khyber Agency and were planning a major terrorist attack,” said Hakeem Khan Afridi, a paramilitary soldier. “Responding to this threat, Levies personnel and Khasadar forces conducted a joint search operation in Khyber and found and detained four extremists with suicide jackets,” he added.

A spokesman for the region’s political agent said the security personnel had also recovered five suicide jackets and 25kg of explosives from the house the terrorists had been using as a base. “It appears the terrorists were planning on sabotaging Pakistan’s Independence Day celebrations and had been eyeing commemoration ceremonies in Khyber Agency and Peshawar,” he said. “During initial investigations, the extremists had admitted they were planning synchronized attacks on hospitals and large gatherings on Aug. 14,” he added.

While security personnel have not yet determined which group the extremists belong to, they said interrogations had revealed that the militants had been trained been in Afghanistan.

Separately, in Punjab province, the Pakistan Army announced it had arrested six terrorists during a search operation. “Combing operation was carried out last night to nab terrorists in Kallar Sayedan and Gujjar Khan areas of district Rawalpindi,” said a statement issued by the military’s media agency, the ISPR. “Six terrorists, including two important commanders and cache of arms and ammunition including prepared Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were recovered,” the statement added. “Combing operations are underway across the country to bust terrorist sleeper cells and eliminate hiding terrorists.”

Related Articles

Leave a Comment