By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Suspected Islamist militants attacked a Pakistani army post in the country’s restive northwest near Afghanistan early on Saturday, killing seven soldiers, including two officers, in a brazen assault that highlighted the security challenges facing the country.
A group of militants attacked a security forces’ post in the Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan district, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
The militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the post, which led to the collapse of part of the security post building, killing five soldiers.
“As our troops foiled the initial attempt at intrusion, the terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the post, followed by multiple suicide bombing attacks, which led to the collapse of a portion of a building, resulting in the shahadat (martyrdom) of five brave sons of the soil.”
The martyrs of the initial attack include Havildar Sabir, a resident of District Khyber; Naik Khurshid, a resident of District Lakki Marwat; Sepoy Nasir, a resident of District Peshawar; Sepoy Raja, a resident of District Kohat; and Sepoy Sajjad, a resident of District Abbottabad.
Pakistani troops effectively engaged the attackers and killed all of them in an ensuing clearance operation.
“During the conduct of the ensuing clearance operation, our troops, led by Lieutenant Colonel Kashif, effectively engaged and killed all six terrorists,” the ISPR said.
“However, during the intense exchange of fire, leading his troops from the front, Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali (age: 39 years, resident of Karachi) and Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar (age: 23 years, resident of District Talagang), having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat.”
The military said a sanitization operation was being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist present in the area, “as 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.”
The funeral of the martyrs was later held at Bannu Cantt.
“The martyrs will be buried in their native areas with full military honors. However, a large number of military and civil officials, including General Officer Commanding Major General Anjum Riaz, attended the funeral prayers,” the ISPR said.
“Pakistan Army will continue to render sacrifices till the last drop of blood for the defense of the dear motherland.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack in separate statements, with Sharif labeling it a cowardly act. Both leaders paid tribute to the valor of the martyrs and extended their condolences to the families.
“The security forces have foiled the sinister designs of the terrorists,” Sharif said. “I, and the whole nation, are proud of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives.”
Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in the year 2023, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
The government and security officials say attacks have risen in recent months, many of them claimed by the Pakistani Taliban and launched from Afghan soil.
That has damaged the relationship between Pakistan and the ruling Afghan Taliban, who deny they have allowed Afghanistan to be used by militants.
The ISPR said earlier this month that 10 militants were killed in two separate operations by security forces in the North Waziristan district. It added that Pakistan expected the Afghan government to fulfill its obligations and deny the use of Afghan soil by terrorists.
Last month, a late-night attack on a police station in Dera Ismail Khan was repulsed. Gunmen had mounted an attack using heavy weapons but fled in the cover of darkness when police personnel fired back.
In December last year, 23 soldiers were martyred and more than 30 troops wounded after militants belonging to the Tehreek-i-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) stormed a compound used by the military in Dera Ismail Khan’s Daraban area.
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