PESHAWAR, Jan 30: A Pakistan Army major was among two security personnel killed in an encounter with terrorists in the country’s restive northwest, bordering Afghanistan, the army said Thursday.
The clash occurred during an intelligence-based operation conducted by security forces on the night of January 29-30, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the military’s media wing.
During the operation, Pakistani soldiers killed six militants, it said.
The deceased security personnel were identified as Major Hamza Israr, 29, from Rawalpindi, who was leading his troops in the operation, and Sepoy Muhammad Naeem, 26, from Naseerabad.
After the gun battle, security forces launched a sanitisation operation in the area to eliminate any remaining terrorists, the army said.
Authorities have vowed to continue efforts to clear the region of any remaining threats.
President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security forces for eliminating six terrorists and paid tribute to the deceased soldiers, Dawn newspaper reported.
He commended their bravery and patriotism, stating that security forces would continue operations until terrorism is completely eradicated, and reaffirming the country’s determination to defend against terrorist elements.
A day earlier, security forces successfully thwarted a terrorist attack on a check post in the Gulistan area of Balochistan’s Qila Abdullah District, during the night of January 27-28.
Pakistan has been reeling under rising violent attacks since the Taliban rulers returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The year 2024 turned out to be the deadliest for Pakistani civil and military security forces in a decade, with at least 685 fatalities and 444 terror attacks, according to “CRSS Annual Security Report 2024” issued by the Centre for Security and Strategic Studies. PTI
