Ten personnel of the Pakistan armed forces, including an officer, were martyred in two separate attacks in North Waziristan tribal district and Balochistan, the military’s media wing said.
In the first incident, six Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred when terrorists from across the Afghan border opened fire on a border patrolling party near Gurbaz area of North Waziristan district.
“Terrorists from across the border fire raided on Pakistan Army border patrolling party […] 6 soldiers embraced shahadat,” a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) read.
The deceased soldiers include Havaldar Khalid, Sepoy Naveed, Sepoy Bachal, Sepoy Ali Raza, Sepoy Mohammad Babar and Sepoy Ahsan.
In the second incident, four armed forces personnel were martyred when a contingent of Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan troops was fired upon by militants during a combing/sensitisation operation between Hushab and Turbat, the ISPR said in a second press release.
The troops martyred in Balochistan include Capt Aaqib, Sepoy Nadir, Sepoy Atif Altaf and Sepoy Hafeezullah.
The martyrdom of six soldiers on the Pak-Afghan border and of four in Balochistan “is the sacrifice Pakistan [is] making for peace in the region”, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor tweeted.
He said while the security of the tribal areas has been improved with efforts now focused on solidifying the western border, inimical forces are attempting to destabilise Balochistan.
“Their efforts shall [InshAllah] fail,” Maj Gen Ghafoor said.
The attacks come days after the Pakistani civilian and military leadership discussed the regional security situation and Afghan peace with their American counterparts.
“The US leadership acknowledged the contributions of Pakistan Army in the war against terrorism and its role [in the] Afghan peace process,” the ISPR chief had tweeted following Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s talks with top US military officials.
After completing his maiden official visit to Washington earlier this week, Prime Minister Imran had taken to Twitter to assure US President Donald Trump that Pakistan “will do everything within its power” to facilitate the process aimed at ending Afghanistan’s nearly 18-year war. The world owed it to the people of Afghanistan to bring about peace after four decades of conflict, the premier had added.
