Soldier martyred during ongoing recovery operation in Ziarat: ISPR

• Terrorists hideout identified near Khilafat Mountain, Balochistan: ISPR.
• Military's media wing says security forces encircled hideout and cleared it.
• Five terrorists belonging to proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army killed.

A soldier embraced martyrdom while five terrorists were killed during an ongoing recovery operation in the Ziarat area of Balochistan in connection with the abduction of Lieutenant Colonel Laiq Baig Mirza and his cousin Omer Javed, the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) said Friday.

Lt Col Mirza, a high-ranking official of the Pakistan Army, embraced martyrdom, the ISPR said yesterday.

He was shot following his abduction along with Javed by a group of 10-12 terrorists near Warchoom, Ziarat, as they were returning to Quetta after visiting Quaid-e-Azam's residency.

A brief statement issued by the ISPR today said that a hideout of terrorists was identified near Khost in the Khilafat Mountains, located in the border area between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

An operation was conducted on the night between July 14 and 15. As the security forces encircled the hideout, terrorists opened fire on the troops. As a result, Havaldar Khan Muhammad was martyred.

Later, in a followup clearance operation, five terrorists of the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) were killed in a heavy exchange of fire.

The military's media wing said that the clearance operation will continue in the area to apprehend the remaining perpetrators and recover Javed.