Five civilians, two soldiers martyred as terrorists target DI Khan health centre

Terrorists launched a brutal assault on the Rural Health Center (RHC) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan district, indiscriminately attacking health workers and leading to the martyrdom of five civilians, including two children and two female health workers, the military said.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces in the vicinity were immediately mobilised for clearance operation in RHC and in the ensuing fire exchange, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which three terrorists were killed.

Among the martyred were Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq, 44, from Narowal District, and Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal, 23, from Khanewal District, who both lost their lives in the line of duty during the intense firing.

ISPR said that sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. “The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice,” it further said.

Earlier in the day, the military's media wing reported that ten terrorists targeted the Bannu Cantonment in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, resulting in the martyrdom of eight soldiers.

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attackers attempted to infiltrate the cantonment but were repelled, leading them to detonate an explosive-laden vehicle against the perimeter wall.

The statement said that the suicide blast led to the collapse of a portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight soldiers.

The statement said that the suicide blast caused a portion of the wall to collapse and damaged nearby infrastructure. The fallen heroes included Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, Havildar Zil-e-Hussain, Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, Sepoy Arsalan Aslam of the Pakistan Army, and Lance Naik Sabz Ali of the Frontier Constabulary.

According to ISPR, Pakistani troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which all ten terrorists were killed during the ensuing operation.

Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities over the past year, particularly in regions like Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan following the cessation of a ceasefire between the government and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in November 2022.

Last week, Islamabad reiterated its stance against engaging in talks with the TTP and called for Kabul's action against terrorists operating from Afghan territory.

According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies' annual security report, violence and casualties in Pakistan saw a notable decline in the second quarter of 2024. The report reveals a 12% reduction in overall violence, with 380 fatalities reported compared to 432 in the preceding quarter.

Throughout the second quarter, the country recorded 380 fatalities and 220 injuries from 240 incidents involving terrorist attacks and counter-terror operations. Of these incidents, 236 resulted in fatalities among civilians and security personnel, highlighting the ongoing challenges faced in maintaining security nationwide.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were identified as the epicentres of violence, accounting for over 90% of fatalities and 84% of all attacks involving both terrorist incidents and security force responses.