SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: Six soldiers embraced martyrdom, while four terrorists were killed in an exchange of fire in Asman Manza area of Upper South Waziristan district on Tuesday.

The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), in a statement said that on Tuesday an exchange of fire took place between troops and terrorists in general area Asman Manza of South Waziristan district.

The statement said that the troops effectively engaged with the terrorists, killing four of them, while two others were injured.

ISPR claims killing four terrorists; police say security forces targeted in Sherwangi area

“However, during intense exchange of fire, six brave soldiers having fought gallantly, embraced Shahadat,” the ISPR said.

Besides, the ISPR said that sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

It said that the armed forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism, adding that “such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthens our resolve”.

On the other hand, local police said that in the Sherwangi area, a squad of the Baloch Regiment came under attack. According to police sources, militants targeted a convoy of security forces travelling from Tiarza to the Ladha area. The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Sources told Dawn that a large number of militants have shifted from Afghanistan to the area where the attack took place. They said that these militants were carrying out IED attacks.

Earlier, over the weekend, 13 labourers were killed, and two others were injured when their vehicle hit a landmine in the Shawal area of North Waziristan district, close to the Pak-Afghan border.

In a statement issued here, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker chief minister Muhammad Azam Khan extended condolences for the deaths of security personnel in the terrorist attack in South Waziristan district.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2023