Lt Colonel, Soldier Martyred as Security Forces Kill Five Militants in Bannu Operation: ISPR

BANNU-UNS:  Two security personnel, including a lieutenant colonel, were martyred while five militants were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations, the operation was launched after reports of the presence of terrorists belonging to the India-backed group referred to as “Fitna al-Khwarij,” including a suspected suicide bomber.
The ISPR said a vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading group of troops, thwarting an attempt to target civilians or law enforcement personnel in Bannu city and preventing a major tragedy.
During the operation, security forces located the militants and engaged them in an intense exchange of fire, killing five of them. In a final act, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into one of the military vehicles in the leading group.
“As a result, Lt Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz (43), a resident of Mansehra and a courageous commanding officer known for leading from the front, embraced martyrdom along with Sepoy Karamat Shah (28) of Peshawar,” the statement said.
The ISPR added that the Afghan Taliban authorities had once again failed to prevent militants from using Afghan soil to conduct terrorist activities inside Pakistan, even during the holy month of Ramadan.
The military reaffirmed its resolve to eliminate terrorism and said such sacrifices further strengthen the nation’s determination to eradicate militant violence from the country.