Terrorist attack thwarted in Balochistan

RAWALPINDI:

Security forces fought off a terrorist attack on their post in Qila Abdullah district of Balochistan in the night between January 27 and 28, killing five attackers, including two suicide bombers, the military said on Tuesday, adding that two servicemen were also martyred.

"Khwarij attempted to attack a security forces' post in the Gulistan area of Qila Abdullah," the military's media wing, the ISPR said. "The attempt to enter the post was effectively thwarted by own troops, which forced the khwarij to ram an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the post," it added.

The military uses the term "khwarij" for terrorists from the outlawed umbrella of violent groups which have found safe havens in Afghanistan following their rout from the erstwhile tribal belt in the 2014 military operation codenamed Zarb-e-Azb.

"In the ensuing fire exchange, all five khwarij, including two suicide bombers, were sent to hell," the ISPR further said. "However, during the intense fire exchange two brave sons of the soil – Naik Tahir Khan, age 39 years; resident of Tank district, and Lance Naik Tahir Iqbal, age 26 years; resident of Karak district, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat."

The military said that a sanitisation operation was being carried out in the area. The perpetrators of this heinous act would be brought to justice, it said, adding that "such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen the resolve of the security forces which are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism".

Elsewhere, security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the general area of Jani Khel in the Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Monday on the reported presence of khwarij, the military said in a separate statement.

"During the conduct of operation, own troops effectively engaged khwarij location, as a result of which, three khwarij were sent to hell, while nine khwarij got injured," it said, adding: "Sanitisation operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Kharji found in the area, as security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country."

The terrorist attacks came days after the security forces eliminated at least 30 terrorists in three separate military engagements in K-P. "On 24-25 January 2025, 30 khwarij were killed in three separate engagements in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province," the ISPR said in a statement on Saturday night. The military engagements took place in Lakki Marwat, Karak and Khyber districts.

President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have commended the security forces for killing eight Khwarij in Qila Abdullah and Bannu districts and paid tributes to Naik Tahir Khan and Lance Naik Tahir Iqbal, who embraced martyrdom during the operation.

In their separate statements, they lauded the martyrs' patriotism and courage and extended condolences to their families. They prayed for the higher status in Heaven for the martyrs and also commiserated with the bereaved families.

"The president reaffirmed that Pakistan's brave security forces are always prepared to defend the country," reads a statement issued by the Presidency. "He reiterated the commitment to eradicate terrorism and protect national security."

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a statement released from the Prime Minister Office that the government and the security forces were fully determined to completely eliminate the scourge of terrorism from the country.