Major, sepoy martyred in IED attack

Pakistan Army squad targeted while it was supervising fencing work at Pakistan-Afghan border

MOHMAND: Two personnel of the Pakistan Army, including a major, were martyred on Friday while their squad was supervising the fencing working at Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

According to the military’s media wing, the soldiers – Major Adeel Shahid and Sepoy Faraz Hussain – were targeted through an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by terrorists from across the border

“Squad under shaheed officer was supervising fencing work in an area which carried critical infiltration route [used by terrorists from Afghanistan],” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Twitter.

Talking to The Express Tribune over phone, a senior security source said the incident occurred at Manzari Cheena village of Tehsil Baizai in district Mohmand near Gorsal border post.

“The security convoy was traveling to Gorsal Gate for security checking and also to witness the activities at the Pakistan-Afghan border when their vehicles were hit by the IED at around 10:30 am,” he said.

He said the blast was so powerful that it also damaged the nearby buildings.

After the blast, security forces enclosed the area and shifted the soldiers to the CMH Peshawar. Security forces also launched a search operation in the area and beefed up security in the border areas.

Four Pakistan Army soldiers were also martyred last week in two separate attacks in areas of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa bordering Afghanistan. The first attack took place in Upper Dir district near the border with Afghanistan where terrorists from across the border fired at soldiers fencing the porous frontier.

The attack had resulted in the martyrdom of three troops. One soldier was also injured in the attack.

In a separate incident in North Waziristan tribal district, terrorists had opened fire on a patrol of security forces near Abba Khel in Spin Wam area. One soldier had been martyred in the attack. The military said two of the attackers were killed in retaliatory firing.

Militant activities are on the rise in some areas of North Waziristan, South Waziristan and Mohmand tribal districts. Security forces have carried out several operations in district Buner of Malakand Division in the last few weeks. Local police have also recorded militant activities in Elam area of Buner.