13 militants were killed and six others were injured, an army soldier martyred

A Pakistan Army soldier, identified as Sepoy Abdul Jabbar, was martyred as the military targeted terrorists’ hideouts in the Rajgal Valley area of Khyber Agency. At least 13 militants were killed and six others were injured, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Thursday.

The raid was conducted as part of Operation Khyber 4, launched under Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad (RuF), to specifically clear areas in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) that are susceptible to threats from the Islamic State (IS) due to its proximity to the Pak-Afghan border.

According to the ISPR, 90 sq/km area has been neutralised as the Pakistan Army soldiers advanced from multiple directions to exterminate and debilitate terrorists.

“Terrorists had lain a number of IEDs which have been detected, recovered and neutralised by Pakistan Army Engineers Counter IED teams,” said the statement.

“Many terrorist hideouts have been destroyed in targeted strikes by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Army Aviation and Artillery,” it added.

According to the military’s media wing, the operation in Rajgal Valley is critical as it could provide a key route to IS terrorists operating from Afghanistan to establish their foothold in Pakistan.

Operation Khyber-4 was announced on July 18 by DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor to “wipe out terrorists” in the troubled valley.