Pakistan conducts military strikes against 'terrorist hideouts' in Iran

Pakistan on Thursday said that its air force conducted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Irans SiestanBalochistan province a day after Islamabad recalled its ambassador from Tehran and suspended all planned highlevel bilateral visits in the wake of Iranian missile and drone strikes in BalochistanThis morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in SiestanoBaluchistan province of Iran the Foreign Office said in a statement on Thursday morningIt said a number of terrorists were killed during the intelligencebased operation codenamed Marg Bar SarmacharOver the last several years in our engagements with Iran Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists calling themselves Sarmachars on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists the statement saidHowever because of lack of action on our serious concerns these socalled Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity This mornings action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending largescale terrorist activities by these socalled Sarmachars it addedThis action is a manifestation of Pakistans unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces the Foreign Office said adding that Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct inviolable and sacredOn Wednesday Pakistan recalled its ambassador to Iran and suspended all planned highlevel bilateral visits hours after Tehran launched unprecedented missile and drone strikes on what it said were directed at the bases of a terrorist group in the restive Balochistan provinceForeign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Baloch in a terse statement read out to the media on Wednesday said that the Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan who is currently visiting Iran may not return to Islamabad for the time being Pakistan also reserves the right to retaliate to the provocation by Iran she had saidTwo bases of the Sunni Baloch militant group Jaish alAdl in Pakistans unruly Balochistan province were targeted by missiles and drones on Tuesday Iranian state media reported a day after Irans elite Revolutionary Guards attacked targets in Iraq and Syria with missilesJaish alAdl or the Army of Justice is a Baloch Sunni militant group founded in 2012 that largely operates in Pakistan Iran has fought in border areas against the militants but a missileanddrone attack on Pakistan would be unprecedented for IranIrans attack and Pakistans retaliatory strikes have raised tensions in the volatile region already roiled by Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the targeting of the merchant ships in the Red Sea by Yemens HouthisOn Wednesday Pakistans Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani told his Iranian counterpart that the unprecedented attack by Iran seriously damaged the ties between the two nationsJilani who is currently leading the Pakistan delegation to the Ministerial Meeting of the NonAligned Movement in Kampala Uganda in a telephonic conversation with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian stressed that the attack conducted by Iran inside the Pakistani territory on January 16 was not only a serious breach of Islamabads sovereignty but also an egregious violation of international law and the spirit of bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iran the Foreign Office said in an earlier statementExpressing Pakistans unreserved condemnation of the attack the foreign minister added that the incident has caused serious damage to bilateral ties between Pakistan and Iraniquest the statement saidThe Pakistani foreign minister added that his country reserved the right to respond to this provocative actStressing that terrorism was a common threat to the region and required concerted and coordinated efforts to combat this menace Jilani underlined that unilateral actions could seriously undermine regional peace and stabilityNo country in the region should tread this perilous path the minister told his Iranian counterpart Traditional warm ties between the two neighbours nosedived to the lowest ebb after the unprecedented attack by the Iranian forces in the countrys southwestThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever