PESHAWAR: Security forces have killed at least eight suspected militants during an intelligence-based operation in South Waziristan wherein two soldiers of the Pakistan Army also embraced martyrdom, said the military’s media wing on Saturday.

Officials stated that the security forces launched the operation after a tipoff about the presence of a group of militants in the Zarmilan area of the district. “The group, with some 10 to 15 militants, was present when the exchange of fire took place near Niazullah check post,” local officials told Dawn.

This was also confirmed in a statement by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), which said at least eight militants were killed during an IBO carried out by the security forces.

During the intense exchange of fire, 25-year-old Lance Naik Shoaib Ali, a resident of Kurram district, and 22-year-old Sepoy Rafiullah, a resident of Lakki Marwat district, fought gallantly against militants and embraced martyrdom.

Military says two soldiers embraced martyrdom during shoot-out

It said weapons and ammunition were also recovered from the militants. “The killed militants remained actively involved in terrorist activities against security forces and killing of innocent citizens,” the statement said. According to the statement, sanitisation of the area was being carried out to “eliminate any other terrorists found in the area”.

The military said the security forces were determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of the brave soldiers further strengthened the forces’ resolve.

On April 13, the district police in Lower Dir claimed to have killed two suspected militants affiliated with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan during an encounter at the Khat Kalay area of Talash. On April 9, security forces killed two suspected terrorists in separate gun battles during operations in Waziristan, the military’s media wing had said.

On April 5, a key militant commander and his seven associates were killed during an intelligence-based operation carried out by security forces in the Shinwarsak area of the South Waziristan tribal district.

A sepoy of the Pakistan Army had embraced martyrdom while four others, including two officers, sustained injuries during the exchange of fire with militants.

Strategy to root out militants

During an in-camera session of parliament on Friday, Chief of Army Staff Gen Syed Asim Munir acknowledged that the strategy — by the previous regime — to engage with terrorists had allowed them to regroup in the tribal areas. The army chief had stressed the need for revisiting the anti-terrorism action plan and suggested a multi-dimensional or ‘3-D’ strategy to deal with militancy.

The in-camera sitting was told that a three-pronged plan — deter, dialogue and development — to root out terrorism was already underway as lawmakers expressed serious concerns over the resurgence of terrorist groups. A recently held meeting of the National Security Committee had also decided to launch a fresh crackdown on militants entering Pakistan from Afghanistan in a bid to rein in militancy.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2023