Forces kill one terrorist in N Waziristan shootout

Army personnel in a military vehicle. — AFP/File

RAWALPINDI: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said Monday that two soldiers were martyred in a gun battle with terrorists in North Waziristan district's Mir Ali area.

The incident occurred on the night between November 12 and 13 November, according to a statement from the military's media wing.

The ISPR said that the security forces effectively engaged the terrorists' location and resultantly, one terrorist "was sent to hell".

However, during the intense fire exchange, Sepoy Abdullah, 25, a resident of Mardan, and Sepoy Muhammad Sohail, 19, a resident of Tharparkar embraced martyrdom after fighting bravely.

The forces carried out a sanitisation operation of the area to neutralise any other terrorists, the military's media wing said.

"Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," it added.

The nation of 240 million has faced a surge in terrorism in recent months, with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant outfits intensifying their actions against security forces.

In response, the state has also launched operations to curb terrorism.

At least 14 soldiers were martyred when terrorists attacked two vehicles carrying security forces in Gwadar on November 2.

Moreover, the security forces had thwarted a terrorist attempt on Pakistan Air Force's (PAF) Mianwali Training Air Base earlier this month and also killed nine militants.

Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), in a report released in October, noted that the security forces lost at least 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high.

In the third quarter of 2023, some 445 people lost their lives and 440 suffered injuries from as many as 190 terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for nearly 94% of all fatalities and 89% of attacks (including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations) recorded during this period.