Soldier killed in exchange of fire with terrorists

A soldier was killed during an exchange of fire with terrorists in the North Waziristan district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing the military’s media wing.

In a press release, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in North Waziristan's general area of Mir Ali. During the operation, an “intense fire exchange” took place against terrorists.

ISPR said, "Own troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location." It further said that during the operation, Sepoy Shakeel Shafqat aged 21 years was killed, Dawn reported. According to ISPR, the area was being sanitised to eliminate any terrorists found in the vicinity.

In a press release, ISPR said, "Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve."

On Thursday, eight terrorists were killed by security forces during two separate intelligence-based operation in the Jani Khel general area of Bannu district and North Waziristan’s general area of Datta Khel, Dawn reported.

Last week, a soldier was killed in an exchange of fire with terrorists in the North Waziristan area of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, Pakistan-based Dawn reported citing the military wing.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in the press release said that the exchange of fire took place in the Mir Ali area. In the statement, ISPR said that Lance Naik Jamshed Khan was killed during his exchange of fire.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terror activities in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The rise in terror activities came after the ceasefire between the Pakistan government and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended in November last year.

Earlier in July, a think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies said that 389 people died in terror and suicide attacks in half of the current year, according to Dawn. In the report, the data revealed that a total of 271 attacks had taken place in Pakistan during the period under review, which took 389 lives and injured 656 others, according to Dawn.

Last year, in the same period, Pakistan witnessed 151 attacks, causing 293 deaths and 487 injuries. The figures depict a staggering 79 per cent increase in attacks during the first half of 2023 in comparison to the period last year.