Six militants killed, two soldiers martyred in DI Khan operation: ISPR
Security forces killed six militants in an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan, the military's media wing said. Two soldiers were martyred in the exchange of fire.
- Six militants were killed in the Zarkani area of Dera Ismail Khan on October 24, according to ISPR.
- Naik Ghulam Murtaza and Sepoy Taseer Ahmed were martyred.
- A clearance operation is continuing in the area.
Security forces killed six militants during an intelligence-based operation in Dera Ismail Khan district, while two soldiers were martyred, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement on Sunday.
According to the ISPR, the operation took place on October 24 in the general area of Zarkani. It followed reports that militants belonging to what the military calls the "Indian proxy, Fitna Al Khwarij" were present there. The ISPR said the six killed were Indian-sponsored militants.
The ISPR named the two soldiers as 36-year-old Naik Ghulam Murtaza, a resident of Gujrat district, and 30-year-old Sepoy Taseer Ahmed, a resident of Talagang district. It said they fought gallantly during an intense exchange of fire and were martyred.
The military's media wing said weapons and ammunition were recovered from the killed militants. It said they had been actively involved in numerous attacks on security forces and law enforcement agencies, as well as the killing of civilians.
The ISPR said a sanitisation operation was under way to eliminate any other militants found in the area. It said the counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-e-Istehkam vision would continue at full pace to remove what it called foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised the security forces and paid tribute to the two soldiers, offering condolences to their families. According to the statement quoted by The Express Tribune, he said: "The entire nation salutes the sacrifices of our brave soldiers. The sacrifices of the martyrs will not go in vain." He reaffirmed his commitment to ending terrorism under Azm-e-Istehkam.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also paid tribute to the soldiers and expressed condolences to their families. He said they had foiled the enemy's designs by giving their lives, and added: "The martyrs are our honour and pride." He said the nation was proud of the security forces' professional capabilities and courage.
Why it matters
Security operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa affect the safety of residents of the province and of security personnel from across Pakistan, including the two soldiers from Gujrat and Talagang.
