Peshawar:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur promised an investigation on Sunday for civilian victims during the anti-terrorist operation on Saturday in the Katlang mountainous region in the Mardan district.
In a statement, the chief minister stressed that the investigation would examine all aspects to establish the facts. He assured that the provincial government would take a clear position on the issue once the investigation report is completed.
According to an express report, the chief minister noted that the operations to combat previous terrorism in the same area had also led to the elimination of high -level terrorists, notably Mohin Baqar and Abbas. He assured the full support of his government to the families of the victims.
Earlier on Saturday, the KP government expressed its regrets in the face of the civilian victims reported in Mardan, extending its “biggest condolences” and expressing its support for affected families “in their moment of sorrow”.
The security forces led an operation in the early hours of Saturday in the distant area of the Katlang summit in Mardan. The operation was based on credible information concerning the presence of terrorists, who used the location as a hiding place and transit.
The KP government said that the operation has succeeded in neutralizing several high value objectives, adding that “unfortunately, subsequent reports have confirmed the presence of non-combatants, including women and children, on the outskirts of the target zone, causing tragic civilian victims”.
He said it was an extremely painful development. “All efforts are made during these operations to avoid collateral damage. However, the complex terrain, the deliberate tactics of activists to integrate into civilian populations, and the fog of war can sometimes cause unforeseen consequences.”
The KP government has exercised its largest condolences to affected families, declaring that immediate measures were taken to investigate the circumstances surrounding the civil presence in the region. “Efforts are underway to]extend medical aid to the injured and compensation for the families of the victims.
