RAWALPINDI; At least six Pakistan Army soldiers, including a young captain, embraced martyrdom, while seven terrorists were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Dogar area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday.
According to the ISPR, the operation was launched following reports of the presence of terrorists affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to as Fitna al Khawarij.
During the encounter, troops effectively targeted and eliminated seven “Indian-sponsored Khawarij,” the statement added.
The martyred personnel were identified as Captain Noman Saleem (24, Mianwali), Havaldar Amjad Ali (39, Swabi), Naik Waqas Ahmad (36, Rawalpindi), Sepoy Aijaz Ali (23, Shikarpur), Sepoy Muhammad Waleed (23, Jhelum), and Sepoy Muhammad Shahbaz (32, Khairpur).
Captain Noman, a medical officer, fought alongside his men and embraced martyrdom while providing medical care under fire, ISPR said, calling him a symbol of courage and dedication.
The statement further noted that a sanitisation operation was underway to eliminate remaining militants, reaffirming the military’s commitment to the “Azm-e-Istehkam” counterterrorism campaign, aimed at eradicating foreign-sponsored terrorism across the country.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, targeting security and law enforcement agencies. The surge follows the banned TTP’s violation of its ceasefire agreement in 2022.
Earlier this week, security forces foiled two major infiltration attempts from Afghanistan in North Waziristan and Kurram, killing 25 militants, including four suicide bombers, and seizing a large cache of arms and explosives.
ISPR stated that fifteen of the slain terrorists, including the four suicide bombers, belonged to the Indian proxy group Fitna al Khawarij.
