Five terrorists killed in Ziarat recovery operation, soldier martyred: ISPR

Ziarat: Security forces killed five terrorists in an exchange of fire during an operation in Balochistan's Ziarat district to recover a civilian taken hostage.

A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred during the clash, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Friday.

The civilian, Omer Javed, was abducted along with his cousin, Lt Col Laiq Baig Mirza, near Warchoom, Ziarat, as they were returning after paying a visit to the Quaid's residency. Lt Col Mirza was martyred by the terrorists as they were fleeing from security forces.

In a statement on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said a terrorist hideout was identified and cleared by security forces during the ongoing recovery operation.

"On the night of July 14/15, a terrorist hideout was identified and cleared by security forces near Khost in the Khalifat Mountains. Once encircled, the terrorists opened fire on the closing-in troops," the statement said.

As a result, Havaldar Khan Mohammad was martyred. Five terrorists belonging to the banned Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) were also killed in the ensuing heavy exchange of fire, the ISPR added.

"The sanitisation operation, however, will continue in the area to apprehend the remaining perpetrators and recover Omer Javed," the military media affairs wing said.