Pakistan Taliban terrorists established hideouts, torture cells inside mosques in North Waziristan
By The South Asia Times
ISLAMABAD - Pakistani Taliban militants established hideouts and torture cells inside two mosques in North Waziristan, using the religious sites to store explosives and weapons, Pakistan's military said on Monday.
Security forces raided the two hideouts on November 8 during an intelligence-based operation in Muzak village, on the southern outskirts of Mir Ali, recovering a large cache of prepared improvised explosive devices (IEDs), explosives-making materials, weapons and ammunition, according to the military's media wing, ISPR.
The military said the militants had deliberately used the mosques to conceal explosive materials and operate torture cells.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for the operation and condemned the use of mosques for militant activities, describing it as a desecration of Islamic holy sites.
In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office said the use of mosques for storing explosives and running torture centres demonstrated a disregard for the fundamental teachings of Islam.
Security forces are continuing clearance operations in the area to identify and eliminate any remaining militant hideouts, the ISPR said.
The operation is part of Pakistan's ongoing counterterrorism campaign under the "Azm-e-Istehkam" framework, approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan.
This is not the first time Pakistani Taliban militants have used mosques, the holy places of Muslims, as terrorist hideouts, preventing local residents from offering prayers and worshipping there. Instead, they have turned these sacred places into centres for storing explosives, operating torture cells and planning terrorist attacks.
The latest revelations have sparked strong public reaction, with people calling on local residents to cooperate with security forces and help identify and expose these elements, which they say are bringing disgrace to Islam and Muslims by exploiting religion for terrorism.
