On Saturday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that seven soldiers, including two officers, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a security forces’ post in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan district. The ISPR reported that six terrorists were neutralized during the incident.
In the early hours of March 16, 2024, a group of six terrorists launched an attack on a security forces’ post in the general area of Mir Ali in North Waziristan District, according to the ISPR.
“Despite our troops foiling the initial intrusion attempt, the terrorists resorted to ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the post, followed by multiple suicide bombing attacks. This resulted in the collapse of a portion of a building, leading to the martyrdom of five brave soldiers,” stated the military’s media wing.
The soldiers who lost their lives in the initial attack include Havildar Sabir, Naik Khurshid, Sepoy Nasir, Sepoy Raja, and Sepoy Sajjad. Additionally, during the subsequent clearance operation, led by Lieutenant Colonel Kashif, all six terrorists were effectively engaged and killed.
Tragically, Lieutenant Colonel Syed Kashif Ali and Captain Muhammad Ahmed Badar sacrificed their lives during the intense exchange of fire while leading their troops from the front.
The ISPR emphasized that a sanitization operation was underway to eliminate any other terrorists in the area, reaffirming Pakistan’s determination to eradicate terrorism from the country.
Pakistan has experienced a resurgence in terrorist activities, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the termination of the ceasefire between the government and the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan in November 2022.
The ISPR noted that security forces had recently conducted operations in the North Waziristan district, resulting in the elimination of 10 militants. Pakistan expects the Afghan government to fulfill its obligations in preventing the use of Afghan soil by terrorists.
In previous incidents, militants had attacked a police station in Dera Ismail Khan and stormed a compound used by the military in Dera Ismail Khan’s Daraban area, resulting in casualties among security personnel.
According to an annual security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies, Pakistan witnessed a significant increase in violence-related fatalities and injuries in 2023, with KP and Balochistan being the primary centers of violence.
