Four soldiers martyred in gunbattle with terrorists in South Waziristan

• Five terrorists also killed in exchange of fire. 
• Sanitisation operation is being conducted: ISPR.
• Fire exchange takes place on November 6. 
  

RAWALPINDI: Four personnel of the Pakistan Army were martyred in an exchange of fire with the terrorists in general area Karama of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's South Waziristan district, said the military's media wing on Thursday. 

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a fire exchange took place between the security forces and the militants on November 6 (Wednesday). 

"Resultantly, five khawarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops," said the statement. 

However, the ISPR added that four brave sons of soil, having fought gallantly embraced martyrdom, during the intense exchange of fire. 

The martyrs were identified as Naib Subedar Taib Shah, 38 years, resident of district Tank; Lance Naik Gulab Zaman, 30 years; resident of district Karak; Lance Naik Muzammil Mehmood, 30 years, resident of district Karak and Lance Naik Habibullah, 28 years, resident of district Orakzai.

The ISPR further said that sanitisation operation was launched to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area as as the "security forces are determined to wipe-out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve". 

In a move to shift its war on terror from a physical to an ideological front, the government had categorised the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as "Fitna al-Khawarij" earlier this year.

The nation has been reeling under rising violent attacks since the Taliban rulers returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The federal cabinet in June this year approved Operation Azm-e-Istehkam, a reinvigorated national counter-terrorism campaign following the Central Apex Committee's recommendations under the National Action Plan to root out terrorism.