Five soldiers martyred as military vehicle blown up in Kurram

RAWALPINDI: Five Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom when an improvised explosive device (IED) hit a security forces’ vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kurram district, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

According to military’s media wing, the incident took place in Saddam area of Kurram district when an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated on a vehicle of the security forces, resulting in martyrdom of five soldiers.

The martyrs include Havaldar Aqeel Ahmed, Lance Naik Muhammad Tafeer, Sepoy Anush, Sepoy Haroon William and Sepoy Muhammad Azam Khan.

“Sanitisation of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area, and perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice,” the ISPR statement said.

In a similar incident on June 9, seven Pakistan Army soldiers, including a captain, were martyred after an improvised explosive device (IED) hit the vehicle of the security forces in Lakki Marwat district.

Resultantly, Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas, 26, resident of Kasur district along with six other soldiers — Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir, 50, resident of Skardu district; Lance Naik Muhammad Anwar, 34, resident of: Ghanchi district; Lance Naik Hussain Ali, 36, resident of: Ghizer district; Sepoy Asad Ullah, 33, resident of Multan district; Sepoy Manzoor Hussain, 27, resident of: Gilgit district; and Sepoy Rashid Mehmood, 31, resident of Rawalpindi district made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat, according to the ISPR.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist activities, especially in KP and Balochistan, since the outlawed militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.