16 soldiers martyred in South Waziristan attack; 8 terrorists eliminated

At least 16 soldiers of the Pakistan Army were martyred when a group of terrorists attacked a security checkpoint in South Waziristan, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release on Saturday.

The army's media wing said the security forces retaliated against the terrorist attack, killing at least eight terrorists at the scene.

According to the Interior Ministry, 948 out of 1,566 terrorism incidents reported occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the past 10 months, resulting in 583 deaths (out of a total of 924 martyrdoms).

The ISPR said in a statement late on Saturday that on Friday night, “A group of khwarij attempted to attack a security forces check post in general area Makeen, South Waziristan District”.

According to the statement, the attack was repelled and eight terrorists were “sent to hell”. However, 16 soldiers embraced martyrdom while responding to the assault.

The statement added that a “sanitisation operation” was being conducted in the area and stated that “the perpetrators of the heinous act will be brought to justice”.

“Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave men further strengthen our resolve,” said the ISPR.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi paid rich tributes to the martyrs and offered condolences to their families. Sharif said the nation salutes the martyrs and the government is committed to eliminating terrorism from Pakistan. Naqvi said those who killed the terrorists were the real heroes and their sacrifices cannot be forgotten.