By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Two soldiers and five militants, including two suicide bombers, were killed in a clash in the restive southwestern province of Balochistan, the military said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred when militants attempted to attack a security forces’ checkpost in the Gulistan area of Killa Abdullah district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Army troops thwarted the attempt, forcing the militants to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the checkpost. “The fire exchange caused all five militants to die,”
“However, during the intense fire exchange two brave sons of 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 ISPR said the security forces were carrying out a sanitization operation in the area to clear it of any further militants.
“Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces for their sacrifices, vowing that their lives would not be lost in vain.
“The nation is proud of these sons who stand against terrorists like a wall,” Sharif said in a statement. “The government and security forces are determined to completely eradicate terrorism from the country.”
Balochistan, which is rich in minerals and gas, has been plagued by an armed insurgency launched by ethnic Baloch separatists, who accuse the central government of exploiting the province’s natural resources.
The government and military reject these allegations, citing development schemes aimed at bringing progress to the impoverished region.
The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), a prominent militant group, launched a series of coordinated attacks in the province in August last year, killing over 50 people in one of the deadliest attacks in Balochistan in recent years.
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