ISLAMABAD: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has reported that Pakistan Air Force’s Mianwali Training Air Base successfully prevented a terrorist attack in the early hours of Saturday, November 4, 2023. Thanks to the swift and effective response by the security forces, the attack was thwarted, ensuring the safety of personnel and assets at the base.
According to the ISPR, three militants attempting to infiltrate the base were neutralized, while the remaining three were isolated by the troops’ timely and courageous response. Unfortunately, during the attack, three grounded aircraft and a fuel bowser suffered some damage.
The statement also mentioned that a comprehensive joint operation is in its final stages to completely clear the area of any potential threats.
The ISPR emphasized the unwavering commitment of the Pakistan Armed Forces to eradicate terrorism from the country at any cost.
Recent Terrorist Incidents and Counterterrorism Efforts in Pakistan
In a recent incident, 14 soldiers lost their lives in a terrorist attack on a security convoy in Gwadar, which occurred as the convoy was moving from Pasni to Ormara in Gwadar district. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced that a sanitization operation is underway in the area, and those responsible for this heinous act will be pursued and brought to justice.
Interim Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani strongly condemned the terrorist attack, expressing deep sorrow for the martyred and injured soldiers and reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering stance against terrorism.
Additionally, separate intelligence-based operations (IBOs) in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa resulted in the elimination of two terrorists, one of whom was a Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) suicide bomber. Unfortunately, three soldiers also lost their lives in one of these IBOs, as well as in a separate improvised explosive device (IED) blast in the Kulachi area of Dera Ismail Khan district.
In Lakki Marwat district, another IBO led to the discovery of various terrorist hideouts and the death of one terrorist. Tragically, two soldiers lost their lives during an intense exchange of fire, and another soldier embraced martyrdom in the IED blast in the Kulachi area.
Pakistan has been grappling with the persistent challenge of terrorism, as exemplified by the recent attack in Gwadar where 14 soldiers were martyred. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir emphasized the exemplary efforts of the armed forces and their security and intelligence agencies in combating terrorism, expressing confidence in the continued support of the Pakistani people.
A report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) released in October revealed that the security forces lost 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high. The third quarter of 2023 witnessed 190 terror attacks and counter-terror operations, resulting in 445 fatalities and 440 injuries. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary hotspots, accounting for the majority of casualties and attacks during this period.
