Four personnel of the Pakistan Army were martyred during an exchange of fire with terrorists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s South Waziristan district, the military’s media wing announced on Thursday.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces clashed with militants on Nov. 6 (Wednesday). “Resultantly, five khawarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops,” it said, referring to the government’s official designation of terrorists, particularly those affiliated with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). During the exchange of fire, it said, four “brave sons of soil” had embraced martyred after having fought gallantly.
The ISPR identified the martyred soldiers as Naib Subedar Taib Shah, 38, resident of district Tank; Lance Naik Gulab Zaman, 30; resident of district Karak; Lance Naik Muzammil Mehmood, 30, resident of district Karak and Lance Naik Habibullah, 28, resident of district Orakzai. It said law enforcers had launched a sanitization operation in the area to eliminate any remaining terrorists, stressing that “security forces are determined to wipe-out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”
Pakistan is currently in the midst of a terror resurgence, with the government and military blaming Afghanistan for failing to curb the use of its soil to foment militancy in Pakistan.