583 Afghan Taliban operatives killed in ongoing border operation: Pakistan

Islamabad, Mar 8 (PTI) Pakistan's security forces have killed 583 Afghan Taliban operatives in the ongoing military operation launched along the border last month, according to an official data released on Sunday.

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on Feb 26 after the Afghan Taliban attacked 53 locations along the border.

Providing an update on social media, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the Taliban losses include "583 killed and 795 injured".

He also said Pakistan destroyed 242 Taliban check posts during the ongoing operation, while another 38 posts were captured and later on destroyed.

Tarar said 213 Taliban tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns have been destroyed and 64 locations across Afghanistan have been “effectively targeted by air”.

Meanwhile, official sources said the armed forces thwarted an infiltration bid by three Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists in the Chaman border area.

They were engaged by the troops at the border. While one terrorist was killed in an exchange of fire, others were injured but managed to escape, they said.

The forces recovered four to five improvised explosive devices and fence-cutting equipment from the slain terrorist.

Earlier, security sources said several Afghan Taliban posts were destroyed on Saturday during an aerial operation carried across the North Waziristan district.

Pakistan has maintained that the Afghan Taliban have suffered heavy losses in the ongoing operation which will continue until the objective of eliminating the threat of cross border militancy is tackled. PTI SH SCY SCY