Soldier martyred in Waziristan IED attack; 3 terrorists gunned down in KP IBOs

PESHAWAR: A solider embraced martyrdom in an attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan district while the Pakistan Army gunned down three terrorists in two separate intelligence-based operations in Dera Ismail Khan and South Waziristan districts, the military's media wing said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military conducted an IBO in the general area of Kulachi in the Dera Ismail Khan district following which two terrorists were killed in an intense exchange of fire on November 20, 2023.

In another operation conducted in South Waziristan's Kot Azam general area, the military gunned down one terrorist, read the statement.

"Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from all three killed terrorists, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as innocent civilians," the ISPR stated.

Meanwhile, a 26-year-old soldier — Sepoy Shahzeb, belonging to Rawalpindi — embraced martyrdom after an Improvised Explosive Device exploded in the general area of Gharyoum, North Waziristan district.

"Sanitisation operations are being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area as the security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve," the statement added.

Pakistan 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.

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.