The top brass of the Pakistan Army has said that its security forces is about to conclude the military offensive in tribal areas.
Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, chairing a corps commanders meeting at the General Headquarters yesterday, called for ensuring that terrorists do not get a foothold in the region again.
"COAS emphasised, as we move towards conclusion of large-scale kinetic operations in Fata, there is a need to look ahead and consolidate the gains for long-term stability," the Dawn quoted an ISPR statement.
The military operations which began in June 2014 in North Waziristan, also named Zarb-i-Azb, are now in its final phase with troops consolidating control of the Shawal Valley.
Sharif asked his commanders to ensure that terrorists don't get a foothold in the region again.
Military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Bajwa said that while operations in Federally Administered Tribal Areas(FATA) were drawing to a close, Zarb-i-Azb as a strategy would continue with intensified intelligence-based operations (IBOs) across the country targeting terrorist infrastructure, reports the Dawn.
Bajwa added that troops had gained control of all major heights and passes in Shawal and are now engaged in sanitising operations.
As per the figures provided by the army 207 terrorists were killed in Shawal and five soldiers lost their lives in this phase.
