Pakistan Army officer martyred, five terrorists killed in Bannu attack: Military

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan Army officer was martyred, and five terrorists were killed after security forces foiled a major attack in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military’s media wing said on Saturday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), terrorists targeted a security forces convoy in Bannu district during an intelligence-based operation.

The operation was launched on reports about the presence of terrorists in the area, including a suicide bomber.

ISPR said a vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading troops, thwarting what could have been a large-scale attack on civilians and law enforcement personnel in Bannu city.

In the ensuing exchange of fire, five terrorists were killed. However, the attackers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into one of the security vehicles.

As a result, Lt Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz, 43, a resident of Mansehra district who was leading his troops from the front, was martyred along with Sepoy Karamat Shah, 28, a resident of Peshawar district.

The military said the terrorists were operating from Afghan soil and vowed to continue operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” campaign to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.