Four soldiers martyred, six terrorists killed

Four Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom while six terrorists, including a “high-value target”, were killed during two fierce encounters in North and South Waziristan districts, the military said in a statement on Thursday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the first engagement occurred in the general area of Gharyoum in North Waziristan district where the Pakistani troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location. As a result, six of terrorists, including a high-value target Hazrat Zaman alias Khawarey Mullah, were killed.

The military said that terrorist ringleader Zaman was actively involved in multiple terrorist activities in the area and was highly wanted by law enforcement agencies.

However, during the operation, three brave sons of soil, a 36-year-old resident of district Rawalpindi Lance Naik Tabbasumul Haq, a 30-year-old resident of Attock district Sepoy Naeem Akhtar and a 23-year-old resident of Multan district Sepoy Abdul Hameed, having fought gallantly, embraced martyrdom.

In another intense fire exchange between the troops and terrorists in the general area of Asman Manza

in South Waziristan district, the ISPR said, a 25-year-old resident of Kashmor district Sepoy Farman Ali paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced martyrdom.

The statement said that sanitisation was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area. “Security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” it added.

Last week, six terrorists were killed while eight injured in an intelligence based operation in North Waziristan.

The country has witnessed an increase in terror activities, especially in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year.

According to a report issued by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, in September, K-P emerged as the most targeted region, with 23 attacks resulting in 34 deaths and 78 injuries. Balochistan, on the other hand, saw a substantial increase in fatalities, primarily due to a single attack in Mastung.