10 troops, 5 civilians martyred in two militant attacks in KP

RAWALPINDI/DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Eight brave soldiers were martyred in a terrorist attack while 10 terrorists belonging to a group which operates from Afghanistan were killed as security forces foiled an attempt of the armed miscreants to enter the Bannu Cantonment on Monday night.

The attempt to enter the cantonment was effectively thwarted by the security forces that forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the Bannu Cantonment in the early hours of Tuesday. This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented a major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives. The gallant and selfless action of the security forces was a testament to unrelenting resolve in fight against terrorism, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Tuesday.

However, the suicide blast led to collapse of a portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, resulting in Shahadat of the eight brave sons of soil who were Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, 44, a resident of District Poonch, AJK, Havaldar Zil-e-Hussain, 39, a resident of District Khushab, Havaldar Shahzad Ahmed, 28, a resident of District Neelum, AJK, Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, 30, a resident of District Muzaffarabad, AJK, Sepoy Subhan Majeed, 22, a resident of District Muzaffarabad, AJK, Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, 30, a resident of District Karak, Sepoy Arsalan Aslam, 26, a resident of District Bahawalpur and Lance Naik Sabz Ali, 34, a resident of Lakki Marwat.

In the ensuing operation, troops effectively engaged the terrorists as a result of which all the 10 attacking terrorists were sent to hell. According to the ISPR, the heinous act of terrorism was undertaken by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group which operates from Afghanistan and has used the Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.

Meanwhile, two soldiers and five civilians were martyred in a terrorist attack on a health centre in Dera Ismail Khan, official sources said on Tuesday.

The ISPR confirmed the incident and said the terror attack happened on the night between July 15 and 16. It said terrorists carried out a cowardly attack on the Rural Health Centre (RHC) at Kirri Shamozai in Dera Ismail Khan and opened indiscriminate fire on RHC staffers.

“Resultantly, five innocent civilians including two lady health workers, two children and one watchman embraced Shahadat.” The security forces in the vicinity were immediately mobilized for a clearance operation in and around the RHC. An exchange of fire ensued and troops effectively engaged the terrorists, killing three of them. Naib Subedar Muhammad Farooq and Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal embraced martyrdom in the fight. Farooq, 44, was a resident of Narowal. He is survived by a widow, two sons and as many daughters. Javed, 23, was a resident of Khanewal. The injured and bodies of the martyred were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital in Dera Ismail Khan. A clearance operation was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorist in the area.

Security has been beefed up in Dera Ismail Khan to ensure a peaceful Ashura. Motorcycle riding has been banned and strict checking is being done on the routes of Muharram processions.

President Asif Ali Zardari has denounced the terrorist attacks and paid homage to the martyred soldiers and civilians. According to a statement from the President House on Tuesday, he highlighted that the soldiers prevented a major loss through swift action. The entire nation is proud of the brave soldiers’ sacrifice and paid tribute to the security forces for their role in foiling terrorist attacks. He reiterated commitment to eliminate those engaged in such despicable activities. He offered prayers for the martyrs, seeking their elevation in paradise.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the terrorist attacks. He expressed grief over the Shahadat of soldiers and civilians, the PM Office Media Wing said in a press release. The prime minister prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls and the bereaved families to bear the losses with fortitude. He reiterated the resolve to root out the specter of terrorism from the country, adding that the people of Pakistan were standing shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces to eliminate terrorism.

The prime minister said those supporting terrorists would be taken to their logical end, adding that such cowardly activities could not deter the strong resolve of the nation.