Islamabad: Pakistan claims to kill 100 terrorists including Uzbek commander Abu Rehman, who mastermind Karachi airport attack in fresh air strikes in North Waziristan. Confirmation of such claims are not possible as media is not allowed to work in North Waziristan. Meanwhile militant sources deny information about Abu Rehman killing or even presence in areas where airstrike were carried out.
Journalists who have been working in the region claim that militants have already left their hideouts a week ago owing the threat of airstrikes therefore credibility of news of killing so much terrorists needs to be reviewed.
Such news looks like a part of a media campaign to boost the moral of the nation and respect of armed forces in the country that was shaken after Karachi Airport attack, claims security experts.
Pakistan security officials released airstrike information through an international news agency. Some official sources are also giving news that 50 Pakistan-born Uzbeks were killed in Sunday’s airstrike.
There is tremendous psychological and moral pressure on security forces in pakistan after remarkable and highly professional attack of terrorists on busiest airport of Pakistan–Karachi Airport.
Security officials claim tat over 100 militants were killed and eight hideouts destroyed in a predawn air strike launched by the Pakistani army in tribal area of North Waziristan. Reports further claim that Abu Rehman, a Pakistani-born Uzbek militant group leader who is believed to be the mastermind of the last Sunday attack on Karachi airport, was also killed in the operation. The operation started at about 2:30 a.m. local time on Sunday morning when the army F-16 fighter jets launched a massive air strike at eight hideouts of Uzbek militants in the Boya and Datta Khel Tehsil areas of North Waziristan, said the reports.
Both Pakistan Taliban and an al-Qaida-linked Uzbek militant group have claimed the responsibility for the Karachi attack.
