File photo. Abdul Majeed—AFP
At least 25 soldiers—23 due to a single suicide attack—were martyred on Monday night, as troops clashed with militants across Dera Ismail Khan district during various operations.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “heightened” activities were witnessed across Dera Ismail Khan district on the night between Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, resulting in the killing of 27 terrorists in various operations.
“An intelligence-based operation (IBO) was conducted in area of Darazinda on reported presence of terrorists,” it said, adding it had led to the killing of 17 terrorists and the destruction of their hideout.
In a second IBO, conducted in the general area of Kulachi, troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location, killing four militants. “However, after intense exchange of fire, two brave sons of soil, having fought gallantly, embraced shahadat,” it said, adding that the slain terrorists were actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as the killing of innocent civilians. “Weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered during the operations,” it added.
In a third incident, occurring early on Tuesday, six terrorists targeted a security forces’ post in the general area of Daraban. “The attempt to enter the post was effectively thwarted, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the post, followed by a suicide bombing attack,” it said, adding that the explosions had caused the building to collapse, causing causalities, with 23 brave soldiers embracing shahadat.
All six attackers, said the ISPR, were effectively engaged and “sent to hell.”
The ISPR said sanitization operations were underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area. Security forces of Pakistan, it said, were determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of brave soldiers further strengthened this resolve.
Condemning the attack on the post, interim Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari similarly expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the incident and condemned as “unforgiveable” the attacks on both civilian and security forces.
Former president Asif Ali Zardari also condemned the attack, emphasizing the need to eradicate the menace of terrorism, and prayed for the recovery of the injured. Former Sindh governor Ishratul Ibad said he was saddened by the heinous attack. “My heartfelt condolences go out to the families of the fallen security men, and I wish for the injured to recover quickly,” he said.
There has been a visible resurgence of terrorism across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the TTP ended a ceasefire—inked after the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul a year earlier—with the government in November last year.
Earlier this month, a bombing targeting police killed five people and injured over 20 others in Dera Ismail Khan. Last month, a policeman was martyred after militants opened fire on a police camp in D.I. Khan, while two soldiers were martyred in a separate bombing in South Waziristan.
A day earlier, interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar warned militants against waiting for negotiations and urged them to “surrender unconditionally,” noting no one has “any desire of talks” right now.