RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif while appreciating the bravery of security forces personnel, who foiled an attack on Pakistan Air Force and Army Aviation Base in Quetta, has said that after operation Zarb-i-Azb, terrorists are on the run and making desperate attempts to cause damage to Pakistan.

In a statement issued by the Inter Services Public relations (ISPR), he said terrorists' attempts would not bear fruit and and they will not find any space to hide in the country and added that "With the backing of the entire nation, we will Inshallah eliminate the scourge of terrorism from our soil forever."

COAS said that security forces should continue to remain vigilant and respond promptly as they did in Quetta to defeat nefarious designs of the terrorists.

An ISPR spokesperson giving details of the attack on PAF Base Samungli and Army's Kahlid Aviation Base Quetta, said that "the terrorists attempts to enter both bases were successfully foiled by a prompt action by an integrated security force of Army, PAF, FC and Police at both bases killing 11 terrorists."

He added that three suspected terrorsits had also been apprehended.

Giving further details he also said that five Terrorists were killed outside PAF Base Smungli and three were apprehended whereas six Terrorists were killed outside Khalid Army Aviation Base Quetta.

All PAF and Army Aviation assets remained safe, the spokesman added.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, has said Pakistan is in a state of war, that too against a hidden enemy.

In a statement issued by a PAF spokesman from air headquarters in Islamabad, the air chief while referring to attack on PAF base Samungli said "These cowardly attacks cannot weaken our resolve to defend our motherland."

“All ranks and file of Pakistan Air Force are focused towards the ongoing operation Zarb-i-Azb and are determined to defend every inch of its Air Bases and infrastructure," Air Chief Butt said.

The spokesman said that the air chief also visited PAF Base Samungli, today where security forces had successfully eliminated the terrorists in an operation last night.

He was briefed about the sequence of operations against the miscreants by Air Commodore Salman Ahsan Bukhari, Base Commander PAF Base Samungli.

The Air Chief while interacting with officers and security officials who directly participated in this operation, commended their courage, valour and spirit to sacrifice for the defence of vital national assets and installations.

"The terrorists were heavily equipped with rockets, hand grenades, petrol bombs, automatic rifles and carried edibles", an air force spokesman said.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday also condemned the attack at PAF's Samungli and Khalid airbases in Quetta.

The Prime Minister praised the bravery and courage of the security officials in successfully thwarting the attack.

He prayed for the departed souls of the security officials and condoled with the family members of those security officials, who laid down their lives while defending the bases.