Daily Times

A soldier of Frontier Corps Balochistan was martyred and four terrorists were killed as security forces repulsed an attack on a naval base in Turbat, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday. The military’s media wing said terrorists attempted to attack PNS Siddique in Turbat on Monday night but the attempt was foiled due to the “swift and effective response by the troops ensuring the safety and security of personnel and assets”. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most prominent of several separatist groups in Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the assault in a statement. The martyred soldier was identified as 24-year-old Sepoy Noman Fareed from Muzaffargarh, serving with FC Balochistan. The ISPR added that soon after the attack began, security forces in the vicinity “were immediately mobilized to support the naval troops”. The military said the effective response by the armed forces enabled the killing of all four terrorists in the ensuing joint clearance operation. A sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area, ISPR said. “Pakistan Armed Forces remain committed to eliminating the menace of terrorism from the country at all costs.” Separately, Security forces killed at least four terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan district, said a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Tuesday. During the operation, an intense exchange of fire took place during which the terrorists were killed. The military’s media wing identified the killed terrorists as Mustafa, Qismatullah, Islam ud Din. “The killed terrorists remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces and killing of innocent civilians. Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from killed terrorists,” added the military’s media wing. Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were seized from the killed terrorists. “The local populace appreciated the efforts of the security forces,” the ISPR stated. In response to the success of the operation, ongoing sanitization efforts are underway in the area, aimed at rooting out any residual terrorist presence.