PESHAWAR: An army captain and a soldier were martyred on Sunday while five terrorists were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Hassan Khel area of Peshawar district, according to the military’s media wing.
A statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) detailed that security forces conducted the IBO based on reports of terrorist presence in the area.
“During the operation, our troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, resulting in five terrorists being killed and three others injured,” the ISPR said.
In the ensuing exchange of fire, 25-year-old Captain Hussain Jahangir, who was leading his troops from the front, and 36-year-old Havildar Shafiqullah embraced martyrdom.
“A sanitization operation is being carried out to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area,” the ISPR added.
The statement underscored the resolve of Pakistan’s security forces to eradicate terrorism, stating, “Such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”
Earlier this month, an army officer was martyred and three terrorists were killed during an IBO in Balochistan’s Zhob district.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terror activities, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, after the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
A security report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies in March highlighted that Pakistan experienced 432 violence-linked fatalities and 370 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws from 245 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations during the first quarter of 2024.
KP and Balochistan, both bordering Afghanistan, accounted for over 92 percent of all fatalities and 86 percent of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations, during this period. Individually, KP suffered 51 percent and Balochistan 41 percent of all fatalities in the first quarter of 2024, the report noted.