Mercenaries are paid, says Raheel Sharif

Manama : Islamic Military Counter-Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) Military Commander General Raheel Sharif has said that the world is evolving at a faster pace considering the strategic changes that are globally taking place.

“Coalitions and alliances are being made across the world to face individual and collective threats,” Gen. Sharif said.

He underlined the strategies and operation of terrorist organisations, mentioning the methods they follow to attack and release pressure off each other despite their differences, ideologies and thoughts.

He also mentioned that the war isn’t limited to terrorists, as there are supporters, facilitators, financiers and sympathisers. Gen. Sharif said that terrorists are concentrated in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, in reference to organisations such as Al Qaeda, ISIS and Buko Haram. He revealed that mercenaries and soldiers of Al Qaeda are paid USD400 while ISIS fighters are paid USD700, insisting that these groups are following organised methods of operation.

The Pakistani General shed light on the harm terrorism caused to his country in the past few years, stating that “since the beginning of the war on terror, 25, 000 Pakistanis were killed in terrorist attacks including civilians and military personnel, with over 48, 000 wounded. He also said that “in 2013, over 100 attacks were recorded in Pakistan on a daily basis, mostly targeting civilian gatherings in schools and mosques”.

Gen. Sharif added that the work of the coalition is based on four mechanisms that include countering terrorist ideologies, enhancing communication and spreading awareness, countering the financing of terrorism and drying its sources, and strengthening cooperation and intelligence sharing between member states.