NORTH WAZIRISTAN: A soldier was martyred in an exchange of fire with militants on Monday after they attacked a check-post in the Ghariom area of North Waziristan tribal district.

Military personnel responded in a befitting manner, sources said, identifying the soldier as Naik Ghulam Mustafa, 37, hailing from Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s capital.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), funeral prayers for Naik Ghulam Mustafa Shaheed were offered at his native town Duna Chatter, Muzaffarabad.

Besides relatives of the martyred soldier, people from all walks of life in large numbers attended the funeral. Later, the soldier was laid to rest with full military honour, the ISPR statement added.

On Sunday, a soldier was martyred and another sustained injuries in a militant attack on a check-post in the Zangara area of South Waziristan district.

The sources said three suspects were arrested and all link roads in the area were closed for traffic following the ambush, whereas the military personnel launched a search operation in the area for further arrests.

Since July 30, four soldiers have been martyred in attacks on security forces in North and South Waziristan districts.

Two soldiers were martyred and nine others injured in the two districts on Friday and Saturday, while another soldier embraced martyrdom when a check-post in the Zangara area of South Waziristan came under attack.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2021