Seven soldiers martyred in South Waziristan IBO

At least seven soldiers of Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom during an intense exchange of fire with gunmen in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district on Wednesday, the military said.

Five attackers were also killed in the operation carried out on the reported presence of armed men in the Asman Manza area of the erstwhile FATA tribal belt along the border with Afghanistan, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

“Security forces conducted IBO (intelligence-based operation) in Asman Manza, South Wazirstan District on the reported presence of terrorists,” the statement read.

The military’s media wing said five 'terrorists' were killed in the operation. “During an intense exchange of fire, seven soldiers embraced shahadat (martyrdom),” it added.

The security forces have cordoned off the area and a search operation is still in progress to eliminate any other terrorist found in the area, said the ISPR.

Read Two soldiers martyred in Bajaur post-attack

Last week, two Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in North Waziristan.

The ISPR had said that security forces were conducting a clearance operation in the district's Dosalli area when the IED exploded.

In August, three Levies personnel were martyred and as many injured when their vehicle hit a landmine in Balochistan's Ziarat district.

Last month, the army repulsed an assault on a military post in Bajaur district by attackers from inside Afghanistan, killing up to three attackers and injuring four others.

The media wing of the military in a statement had said that the attackers opened fire on a military post from across the border. “Pakistan army troops responded in a befitting manner,” the statement added.