A lieutenant colonel and a sepoy were martyred in a suicide attack during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Saturday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The ISPR said in a press release that a security forces’ convoy was “targeted by Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij” while an IBO was being carried out on the reported presence of terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
The military’s media wing added that five terrorists were also killed during the operation.
The ISPR said that vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading group, foiling his nefarious design to target innocent civilians/law enforcement personnel in Bannu City, averting major catastrophe. A lieutenant colonel and a sepoy were martyred in a suicide attack during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district on Saturday, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
It stated that the terrorists were located during the operation and after an “intense fire exchange, five khwarij were sent to hell by the security forces”.
“However, in desperation, khwarij rammed the explosive-laden vehicle into one of the vehicles of the leading group.” the statement added.
Resultantly, 43-year-old Lt Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz hailing from Mansehra, whom the ISPR described as a “brave commanding officer renowned for his daring actions, who was leading his troops from the front”, and 28-year-old Sepoy Karamat Shah from Peshawar embraced martyrdom.
The military in its statement reiterated that terrorists were “using Afghan soil” for carrying out attacks inside Pakistan, “violating the sanctity of the holy month of Ramazan.
“This clearly indicates that they have no link with Islam,” the ISPR declared.
the ISPR asserted that Afghan Taliban Regime has yet again failed to stop the khwarij from use of Afghan soil for terrorist activities inside Pakistan, that too in the holy month of Ramazan”.
It said that Pakistan will not exercise any restrain and operations would continue against the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act for justified retribution against khwarij, irrespective of their location.
The ISPR said that the counter-terrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by the Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan “will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country”.
the military affirmed that such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further reinforce our unwavering commitment [to] safeguarding our nation at all costs,”.
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