ISLAMABAD: Security forces in Pakistan lost 25 soldiers in two militant attacks in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the army’s media wing said on Tuesday, adding the encounters in Dera Ismail Khan city also resulted in the deaths of 27 militants.
The attacks on the security forces were claimed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, pointing to the ability of the militant network to generate extreme violence in the country’s frontier region with Afghanistan.
According to the Inter Services Public Relations, six militants carried out a deadly attack in the early hours of Tuesday in the general area of Daraban when they targeted a military post with an explosive-laden vehicle.
“The resulting blasts led to the collapse of the building, causing multiple casualties,” a statement said. “Twenty-three brave soldiers embraced martyrdom, while all six terrorists were effectively engaged and killed.”
Earlier, security forces had launched an intelligence-based operation in the Darazinda neighborhood, targeting a militant hideout and killing 17 armed men.
Another similar operation in Kulachi resulted in the deaths of four militants and two soldiers.
“Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other terrorist in the area, as security forces of Pakistan are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism,” the ISPR said, emphasizing that the “sacrifices of Pakistani soldiers only strengthened the resolve of the country’s military.”
It also noted the militants Dera Ismail Khan were “actively involved in numerous terrorist activities against security forces as well as killing of innocent civilians.”