Pakistan: ISI Brigadier killed during encounter with terrorists in South Waziristan

According to Pakistan’s military media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a brigadier from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Mustafa Kamal Barki, was killed during an encounter with “hardcore terrorists” in South Waziristan’s Angoor Adda on Tuesday.

According to the ISPR, the two sides engaged in a violent exchange of fire, and Brigadier Mustafa Kamal Barki was killed “while leading the encounter from the front,” while seven others were injured, including two badly wounded.

The military’s media affairs wing said Brigadier Barki and his team “put up a valiant resistance against the terrorists during the encounter and the officer sacrificed his life for the peace of the motherland”.

“Defence forces of Pakistan and intelligence agencies pledge to reaffirm and demonstrate firm resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism from every inch of the country,” the ISPR said, as quoted by Dawn.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed regret over the incident and said Brigadier Barki had sacrificed his life for the peace of motherland”, adding that his sacrifice would not go in vain.

“The terrorists will be found out [and] they will have to pay a heavy price,” the foreign minister said.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan also expressed “sadness” at the news and sent condolences to the brigadier’s family, according Pakistan Dawn.

According to Dawn, the ISPR has revealed that two youngsters were killed during an operation against suspected “militants” on the boundary of North and South Waziristan districts.

According to ISPR, two children were killed during the operation, in which officials said that eight persons, whom the media wing referred to as “militants,” also injured two troops.

“Upon information about the presence of militants in the Zinghara area of South Waziristan, security forces carried out an operation,” said the statement.

Earlier, unconfirmed media reports claimed that the children were killed in a drone strike but in the ISPR statement, there was no mention of a “drone strike,” reported Dawn.