- Military’s media wing says 14 khawarij were ‘sent to hell’ by the security forces in ensuing sanitisation operations
- Says two children and a woman were also severely injured in the tragic and barbaric incident
- The security forces, in step with the nation, remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country: ISPR
RAWALPINDI: As many as 13 Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred when an explosive-laden vehicle of the Indian-sponsored terrorists rammed into a security forces vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) North Waziristan district, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement on Saturday.
According to the military’s media wing, a vehicle-borne suicide attacker targeted a security convoy in the district’s Mir Ali area, before being intercepted by the convoy’s lead vehicle, foiling his nefarious design.
However, in their desperation, the ISPR said the explosive-laden vehicle was rammed by the “Indian-sponsored khwarjis” into one of the vehicles of the leading group.
“Resultantly, 13 brave sons of soil embraced Shahadat. In this tragic and barbaric incident, three innocent civilians, including two children and a woman also got severely injured,” reads the statement.
The martyred personnel were identified as follows: Subedar Zahid Iqbal, 45, from Karak; Havildar Sohrab Khan, 39, from Naseerabad; Havildar Mian Yousaf, 41, from Buner; Naik Khitab Shah, 34, from Lower Dir; Lance Naik Ismail, 32, from Naseerabad; Sepoy Rohail, 30, from Mirpurkhas; Sepoy Muhammad Ramzan, 33, from Dera Ghazi Khan; Sepoy Nawab, 30, from Quetta; Sepoy Zubair Ahmed, 24, from Naseerabad; Sepoy Muhammad Sahki, 31, from Dera Ghazi Khan; Sepoy Hashim Abbasi, 20, from Abbotabad; Sepoy Muddasir Ejaz, 25, from Layyah and Sepoy Manzar Ali, 23, from Mardan.
In the ensuing sanitization operations, 14 khawarij were “sent to hell” by the security forces. The statement added that operations in the area would continue and “the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act will be brought to justice,” the ISPR said.
“The security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent civilians further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs,” the ISPR added.
President, PM condemn cowardly attack on security forces
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have strongly condemned the cowardly attack on the security forces in North Waziristan, state media reported.
In their separate statements, they paid tribute to the thirteen brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the operation, Radio Pakistan reported.
They prayed for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs and patience for their families. They also prayed for the speedy recovery of civilians, including children and women, who were injured during the operation.
President Asif Ali Zardari said the Pakistani nation and security forces are determined to root out Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country, state broadcaster PTV News said.
He emphasized that the nation will never forget the sacrifices of its martyrs.
In his statement, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the Indian-sponsored terrorists carried out a cowardly attack.
He said the entire nation salutes the brave martyrs and remains committed to completely eradicating all forms of terrorism from the country.
Both the leaders commended the security forces for killing fourteen Khawarij during the operation, PTV News added.
Pakistan has been grappling with an alarming surge in terror incidents, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan ended a ceasefire with the government in 2022.
The country saw a slight uptick in militant attacks in May 2025, even as heightened military tensions with neighbouring India failed to trigger a significant escalation in violence from extremist groups, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the Islamabad-based think tank.
The PICSS released a report, indicating a 5 percent increase in attacks compared to April, though the overall picture suggests militant groups largely remained contained despite the regional geopolitical climate.
