Four soldiers were tragically martyred during an operation to repulse militants in Chitral’s Kalash area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The mission, conducted by the Pakistani military, resulted in the successful elimination of 12 terrorists on Wednesday, according to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR).
The ISPR press release explained that a large group of terrorists, armed with advanced weapons, launched an attack on two military outposts located near the Afghanistan border in the general area of Kalash in Chitral district. The information regarding the terrorists’ movements and concentrations in Gawardesh, Pitigal, Barg-i-Matal, and Batash areas of Nuristan and Kunar provinces in Afghanistan had been shared with the Interim Afghan Government.
Due to the heightened threat environment, the military posts were already on high alert. The brave soldiers fought valiantly and successfully repelled the attacks, inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorists. Twelve terrorists were killed, while many more sustained critical injuries during the exchange of fire.
Tragically, four soldiers lost their lives in the line of duty. The area is now being thoroughly sanitized to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the vicinity.
The ISPR emphasized that the security forces of Pakistan are steadfast in their determination to eradicate the menace of terrorism. The sacrifices made by our soldiers only strengthen this resolve. The people of Chitral also stand firmly with the security forces in preventing the terrorists from disrupting the peace of the area.
The press release urged the interim Afghan government to fulfill its obligations and prevent terrorists from using Afghan soil as a base for their activities against Pakistan. The banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attacks on the military posts.
In recent months, Pakistan has witnessed an increase in terrorist activities, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the end of the ceasefire between the government and the TTP in November of the previous year.
This incident follows the tragic loss of six soldiers in an exchange of fire in South Waziristan district on August 22, where four terrorists were also killed. Last month, 12 soldiers of the Pakistan Army lost their lives in separate military operations in the Zhob and Sui areas of Balochistan. These incidents mark the highest death toll in a single day from terrorist attacks reported this year.
A report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies in July revealed a concerning rise in terror and suicide attacks in the first half of this year, resulting in the loss of 389 lives across the country.
As these acts of militancy continue, Pakistan expresses growing concerns about cross-border terrorism facilitated by elements based in Afghanistan. Pakistani military leadership and former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif have both raised concerns about the presence of safe havens and the freedom of action enjoyed by militants in Afghanistan, pointing out instances of Afghan citizens’ involvement in terror attacks in Pakistan. They have called for action from the Afghan government.
However, in a separate interview with BBC Pashto, a spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, Zabiullah Mujahid, took a stronger stance, advising Pakistan to address its internal problems instead of blaming others.
More recently, Afghanistan’s supreme leader issued a warning to Taliban members against carrying out attacks abroad. Nevertheless, Afghan authorities subsequently alleged that dozens of banned Islamic State militants from Pakistan were either killed or captured in Afghanistan over the past year.