Daily Times

Seven people including two security forces’ personnel and five civilians including children were martyred in a terrorist attack on the Rural Health Center (RHC), Kirri Shamozai area in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Tuesday.

As per the military’s media wing, 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 in a statement after the incident.

“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.”

Meanwhile, 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 military’s media wing stated that sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area. “The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice,” it added.

Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a rural health center in Dera Ismail Khan.

Naqvi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and praised the security forces for their bravery in killing 3 terrorists.

He vowed to pursue the terrorists and ensure they face justice.

Naqvi called the attack “brutal” and “cowardly”, stating that those who target innocent civilians would be chased and brought to justice.

He acknowledged the sacrifices made by all in the war against terrorism and promised that they would not go in vain.