Funeral rites of martyred security personnel observed in Rawalpindi

RAWALPINDI: Funeral prayers of seven soldiers martyred yesterday in an operation in North Waziristan were held in Rawalpindi on Sunday, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). 

The Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, attended the last rituals of the martyrs after which the bodies were sent to respective home towns for burial with full military honour, the army’s media wing notified.

According to a statement by the military’s press wing, security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in Gharlamai and Spera Kunar Algad area in North Waziristan. During the operation, seven Pakistan army soldiers embraced martyrdom. This includes Captain Junaid, Havaldars  Amir, Atif, Nasir and Abdul Razzaq, and sepoys Sami and Anwar.

Law enforcement agencies had received reports that a group of terrorists had infiltrated from across the border and were hiding in a compound. An operation was launched against them and nine terrorists were killed while their bodies were also held.

Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad

Earlier this month on September 13, four terrorists were killed and three soldiers were martyred in an operation in North Waziristan region.

The martyred soldiers were identified as Lieutenant Moeen along with naeb subedar Nazir Ahmed and Fakhar. The terrorists killed were allegedly wanted by security forces in an attack on law enforcement personnel.

On August 23, one security forces officer was martyred and three others were injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Dan Kilay area of North Waziristan.

The martyred havaldar Ahmed Khan was resident of District Mianwali. The incident occurred when Pakistan Army’s bomb disposal team was on routine search and clearance operation

The Pakistan Army had in February 2017 launched a counter-terror operation named ‘Radd-ul-Fasaad’ across the country, and hundreds of militants have surrendered and several were killed.

The operation was aimed at indiscriminately eliminating residual and latent threat of terrorism, consolidating gains of operations made thus far and further ensuring security of the borders.