Daily Times

WANA: In an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in South Waziristan Agency, a Pakistan army major was killed and six soldiers were injured on Tuesday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major Imran was killed during a cordon search operation in Wana while six soldiers sustained injuries. According to Inter Service Public Relation (ISPR), around 490 soldiers and 3,500 militants have been killed so far in Federal Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in Operation Zarb-e-Azab.

Last week, an army officer was killed and another was critically injured after falling into a ditch on the motorway near Hazro, ISPR said. The deceased was identified as Lt Colonel Shahid whereas Major Jalal sustained serious injuries when they were going back to Nowshera from Rawalpindi in a military convoy.

At around 8PM, the officers climbed off their vehicle as the routes were blocked with containers. Owing to darkness, they both fell off the road edge into a ditch along the Motorway. Lt Colonel died on the spot while Major Jalal was immediately shifted to the hospital.

Last month, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif said, “Having overcome the heartless enemy, we are set to march forward on the road to progress.” He described Operation Zarb-e-Azb as an example of ‘war for peace’ and said the offensive was bringing stability and prosperity to Pakistan and the region.

“Today, our brave men can tell the world with pride that by eliminating terrorist networks from the far reaches of Pakistan-Afghanistan border, an environment of peace and prosperity is flourishing,” he said.

In June, Director General Inter-Service Public Relations Lt-Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa claimed that a total of 490 soldiers and 3,500 militants have been killed in Operation Zarb-e-Azb so far. In the past two years, a total of 3,500 terrorists were killed, leaving 992 hideouts destroyed, DG ISPR stated.