By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The security forces killed 13 terrorists in retaliatory operations after attacks on Bannu Cantonment and a rural health center in Dera Ismail Khan district in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military’s media wing said on Tuesday.
Ten members of the security forces and five civilians, including children, were martyred in the attacks.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said 10 terrorists attempted to enter Bannu Cantonment in the early hours of Monday, but were thwarted by security forces personnel.
The terrorists then rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall, causing a portion of the wall to collapse and damaging infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight security forces.
The martyrs were identified as Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, 44; Havildar Zil-e-Hussain, 39; Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, 28; Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, 30; Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, 22; Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, 30; Sepoy Arsalan Aslam, 26, belonging to the Pakistan Army as well as Lance Naik Sabz Ali, 34, of the Frontier Constabulary.
“In the ensuing operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which all ten terrorists were sent to hell,” the statement added. “This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives. … The gallant and selfless action of the security forces is a testament of unrelenting resolve in fight against terrorism.”
The ISPR attributed the “heinous act of terrorism” to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, “which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well”.
“Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns with the interim Afghan Government, asking it to deny persistent use of Afghan soil by the terrorists and take effective action against such elements,” it added.
“Pakistan Armed Forces will keep defending the motherland and its people against this menace of terrorism and will take all necessary measures as deemed appropriate against these threats emanating from Afghanistan.”
In a separate incident, seven people, including two security forces personnel and five civilians, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a rural health center in Dera Ismail Khan district.
The civilians who lost their lives in the gun attack were the staff of RHC, including two lady health workers and a watchman of the facility, besides the two minors.
“On the night between July 15 and 16, the terrorists carried out a cowardly attack on Rural Health Center (RHC), Kirri Shamozai in Dera Ismail Khan District and opened indiscriminate fire on RHC staff,” the ISPR said.
“Security forces in vicinity were immediately mobilised for clearance operation in RHC and in ensuing fire exchange, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which three terrorists were sent to hell.”
The security forces personnel who were martyred during the intense exchange of fire were identified as Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq, 44, and Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal, 23.
“The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice,” ISPR statement added.
Pakistan has seen an uptick in terrorist activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
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