Terrorists' hideouts on mountain near Pak-Afghan border cleared: ISPR

RAWALPINDI: The Inter Services Press Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday said a major achievement was achieved last night in Operation Khyber 4 when troops including SSG successfully cleared the highest mountain top Brekh Muhammad Kandao near Pak-Afghan border.

Many terrorists were killed, with a few managing to escape to Afghanistan, the ISPR press release said.

Terrorists’ hideouts were cleared, and caches of IEDs, arms and ammunition were recovered.

“The forces have established posts at over 12000-feet altitude – the terrain is riddled with thick forestation,” the ISPR statement said.

The mountain top – which was cleared well ahead of planned timings -- was being used as the main observation point and its base as a transit/storage point. Terrorists gave stiff resistance to the Pakistani troops but were unable to sustain for long.

Director General (DG) ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor on July 16 announced the launch of Operation Khyber-4 under Radd-ul-Fasaad to "wipe out terrorists" in the Rajgal Valley area of Khyber Agency.

"An operation to wipe out terrorists has been launched in Rajgal valley in Khyber Agency," Major General Ghafoor said.

Khyber 4 seeks to target terrorist hideouts in what the DG ISPR called "the most critical area in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata)".