Daily Times

Two soldiers of the Pakistan Army have embraced martyrdom in an intense exchange of fire while eliminating three active terrorists in an Intelligence-Based Operation (IBO) in the general area Tank of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release on early Sunday, the Security Forces conducted an Intelligence Based Operation in the general area Tank, on the reported presence of terrorists. However, during the conduct of the operation, an intense fire exchange took place between security forces and terrorists, resulting in the killing of three terrorists. The ISPR said that the killed terrorists have remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as innocent citizens.

However, during a fierce fire exchange, Naik Muhammad Atiq (age 39 years, resident of District Chakwal) and Naik Rajab Ali (age 36 years, resident of District Attock) having fought gallantly, embraced Shahadat (martyrdom).

The sanitization of the area was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found in the area. “The Security Forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the ISPR said.

Pakistan has seen an uptick in terror activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November.

In his maiden press briefing last month, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that at least 293 people were martyred and 521 were injured in 436 terrorist incidents over the past year. In KP, 192 people were martyred in 219 terror activities, while 80 people lost lives in 206 incidents in Balochistan, 14 people in five attacks in Punjab, and seven in six terrorism incidents across Sindh. He had said that the army and law enforcement agencies carried out 8,269 intelligence-based operations during the previous year in which 1,378 suspected terrorists were apprehended and 157 were killed. The DG ISPR had also said that overall 137 security personnel were martyred and 117 injured in anti-terror operations in the ongoing year.