Lakki Marwat IED attack on Military Vehicle: Captain among 7 Soldiers martyred

——– Pakistan Military vows perpetrators of the attack will be brought to justice
——– ISPR says Forces are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of brave soldiers further strengthen Army’s resolve
——– President, PM express grievances over shahadat of Security Forces Personnel 
——– Shehbaz reiterates resolve to continue fighting against terrorism till its complete elimination

By Our Defence Correspondent

RAWALPINDI: Seven soldiers were martyred on Sunday when a security forces’ vehicle was attacked with an improvised explosive device in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district on Sunday, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
According to the military’s media wing, Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas (age: 26 years, resident of Kasur District), Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir (age: 50 years, resident of Skardu district), Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar (age: 34 years, resident of Ghanchi district), Lance Naik Hussain Ali (age: 36 years, resident of Ghizer district), Sepoy Asad Ullah (age: 33 years, resident of Multan district), Sepoy Man-zoor Hussain (age: 27 years, resident of Gilgit district) and Sepoy Rashid Mehmood (age: 31 years, resi-dent of Rawalpindi district) all “made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat (martyrdom)”.
The ISPR said that “sanitisation of the area” was underway to eliminate terrorists and added that “the perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice”.
“[The] security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacri-fices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari on Sunday expressed grief over shahadat of personnel of securi-ty forces who lost their lives after their vehicle reportedly hit an improvised explosive device (IED) in District Lakki Marwat. The president paid tribute to the martyred Jawans of Pakistan Army and prayed for the high ranks of the departed souls, President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.
He also condemned the IED attack by the terrorists and reiterated the resolve of the entire nation to root out the cancer of terrorism. Paying tribute to the sacrifices and valour of shaheed Jawans, the president said the nation would never forget the sacrifices of its sons and Shuhada and expressed condolences with the bereaved families and prayed for them to bear the losses with fortitude.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday while reiterating the resolve to continue fighting against terrorism till its complete elimination, expressed his deep grief over shahadat of seven security personnel, including Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas shaheed, in a terrorist attack in District Lakki Marwat. The prime minister prayed for the bereaved families to bear the losses with equanimity, PM Office Media Wing said in a press release.
He said that the entire nation saluted the law enforcement agencies for their services and unprece-dented sacrifices and stood with the brave Jawans. The prime minister also resolved to make terrorists accountable.
On May 27, 17 terrorists were killed and another two were injured in two separate operations con-ducted by security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media affairs wing said.
In a press release, the (ISPR) said that in an operation conducted in Tank District, “own troops effec-tively engaged the terrorists’ location, as a result of which ten terrorists were sent to hell”.
Another engagement occurred in the “general area [of] Bagh, Khyber District, wherein the security forces sent seven terrorists to hell while two terrorists were injured”, the ISPR said.