File photo. Abdul Majeed—AFP
Two soldiers embraced martyrdom on Thursday after a suicide bombing targeted a convoy of security forces in Dera Ismail Khan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) announced on Friday morning.
According to the military’s media wing, the bomber rammed a vehicle laden with explosives into the convoy while it was traveling from Tank to Dera Ismail Khan. “Resultantly, two brave sons of soil, Naib Subedar Yasir Shakeel, 38, resident of District Kohat, and Sepoy Tahir Naveed, 34, resident of District Kohat, embraced shahadat,” it said. According to local media, the same attack injured at least 22 personnel.
Police and security forces cordoned off the area after the attack, launching a clearance operation and shifting the dead and injured to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dera Ismail Khan.
The ISPR statement stressed that the security forces of Pakistan were determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of brave soldiers further strengthened this resolve. “Moreover, the perpetrators of this cowardly attack will be brought to justice,” it vowed.
Separately, security forces killed one terrorist and injured two others during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan’s Panjgur district. According to ISPR, the operation was conducted on the night of March 20-21. It said troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, adding militant Chakar Liaquat was killed during the clash, while two others were injured. The military’s media wing said security forces also recovered weapons and ammunition from the slain terrorist, who the ISPR described as “actively involved in numerous terrorist activities.”