PESHAWAR: Funeral prayers for the soldiers slain in clashes with terrorists in North Waziristan were offered in the Peshawar garrison on Saturday.
Six soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Ali Shoukat, perished while fighting terrorists in the restive region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), reported that at least eight militants were also killed during the overnight operation.
The ISPR stated that the country’s security forces were determined to eradicate terrorism. “Such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve”.
In a separate intelligence-based operation in Swat, the Pakistan army killed two militants, one of whom was involved in a recent attack on a convoy of foreign ambassadors, as per the ISPR.
Terrorist attacks have seen a dangerous spike in recent years, with the Interior Ministry reported that in 2023 alone, 930 people lost their lives to terrorism. Over 2,000 were sustained injuries during these attacks.
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North Waziristan in particular has been a stronghold for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Despite the military clearing the region of terrorists in several military operations, the TTP and other militant groups became emboldened since the Afghan Taliban rose to power in neighbouring Afghanistan.