At least 20 security personnel were martyred in two separate terrorist attacks in Balochistan's Gwadar and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's North Waziristan districts on Thursday.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), at least six troops of Pakistan Army, including one officer, was martyred when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded near a convoy of security forces in North Waziristan's Razmak area.Those embraced martyrdom included 24-year-old Captain Umar Farooq, 37-year-old Naib Subedar Riaz Ahmed, 44-year-old Naib Subedar Shakeel Azad, 36-year-old Havaldar Younas Khan, 37-year-old Naik Muhammad Nadeem and 30-year-old Lance Naik Asmat Ullah.
In the second incident, 14 security personnel also embraced martyrdom when terrorists opened fire on convoy of Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) at Makran Coastal Highway in Ormara.
"On 15 Oct 20, an encounter took place between security forces and large number of terrorists on Coastal Highway (Near Ormara), when a convoy of OGDCL was being escorted from Gwadar to Karachi. Security Forces responded effectively, ensured security of the OGDCL persons and managed their safe exit from the area," an ISPR statement said.
The military's media wing said that during the clash, substantial losses were also incurred to the terrorists.As a result of the encounter, seven soldiers of the Balochistan Frontier Corps and seven security guards were martyred while fighting the terrorists.
Those embraced martyrdom in Ormara incident included Subedar Abid Hussain from Layyah, Naik Muhammad Anwar from Sibi, Lance Naik Iftikhar Ahmed from Dera Ghazi Khan, Sepoy Muhammad Naveed from Chakwal, Lance Naik Abdul Latif from Pishin, Sepoy Muhammad Waris from Mianwali, Sepoy Imran Khan from Lakki Marwat, Havaldar (retd) Samandar Khan from Lakki Marwat, Muhammad Fawad ullah from Lakki Marwat, Attaullah from Dera Ismail Khan, Waris Khan from Tank, Abdul Nafay from Kohat, Shakir ullah from Kohat and Abid Hussain from Bannu.
According to the ISPR statement, the security forces cordoned off the complete area and search for terrorists was underway.It also added that such cowardly acts by inimical elements to sabotage peace, stability and economic development in Balochistan shall never be allowed to succeed."Moreover, these acts cannot subdue resolve of our forces which are determined to defend motherland, even at the cost of their lives," the ISPR said.
PM condemns incident, seeks report
Later, Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the attack on the convoy of OGDCL and sought report of the incident.He commiserated with families of the security personnel martyred in the attack, lauded the services of the martyrs and prayed for the departed souls.The terrorists have intensified their activities against the security forces lately particularly in Balochistan and North Waziristan.
Last month, a Pakistan Army soldier embraced martyrdom when an IED exploded near security forces’ check post in North Waziristan district.In September, three soldiers were martyred and four others sustained injuries when they were targeted by terrorists while providing protection to road construction teams working in Ghariom sector on Road Shaga-Nishpa in North Waziristan district.In June, two soldiers had embraced martyrdom when their patrolling vehicle was targeted through an IED in the erstwhile Fata region.
