Two soldiers were martyred in a blast from an improvised explosive device in the Spinwam area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district on Tuesday, according to a press release issued by the military’s media affairs wing.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said 29-year-old Sepoy Gul Rauf, a resident of Lakki Marwat, and 23-year-old Sepoy Abid Ullahm, a resident of Karak district, were martyred in the blast.

Sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists found there, the statement said.

It added that the “armed forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.”

Last week, a terrorist was killed and two were injured during an exchange of fire with security forces in the Spinwam area.

On the night between June 9 and June 10, three terrorists were killed and four injured during a gun battle with security forces in North Waziristan’s Miranshah. Meanwhile, three soldiers were martyred in the exchange of fire.