Five Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in a terrorist attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Kurram district on Friday, the military’s media affairs wing said.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on the security forces vehicle in the district’s general area Sadda.

The martyrs include Havildar Aqeel Ahmed, 33, a Okara resident; Lance Naik Muhammad Tafeer, 30, a Poonch resident, Sepoy Anosh Rufun, 24, an Attock resident, Sepoy Muhammad Azam Khan, 26, a Haripur resident; and Sepoy Haroon William, 29, an Islamabad Capital Territory resident.

The ISPR said sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any terrorists present in the area and perpetrators of the heinous act would be brought to justice.

“Security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve,” it added.

Earlier this month, seven soldiers including Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas and Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir were martyred in an IED explosion in Lakki Marwat district.

Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas Shaheed belongs to Kasur district. He received a commission in the Northern Light Infantry of Pakistan Army in 2020. He was about to get married on June 19, 2024.

Subedar Major Muhammad Nazir Shaheed belongs to the Skardu district and performed the duty of defending the country for 31 years. Subedar Major Nazir Shaheed left behind a widow, 2 sons and 5 daughters.

Following the attack, the armed forces killed 11 terrorists in a combing operation in Lakki Marwat district.

During the operation, own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location, as result of which eleven terrorists were successfully neutralised while multiple terrorist hideouts were also busted, the ISPR said.