16 soldiers martyred in gunfight with terrorists in South Waziristan

Sixteen soldiers of the Pakistan Army were martyred during a terrorist assault on a security checkpoint in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on the night of December 20-21, according to a statement from the military’s media wing.

The attack, which occurred in the Makeen area of the tribal district, was carried out by a group of terrorists. Security forces successfully repelled the attack, killing eight terrorists in the ensuing gunfight.

However, despite their valiant efforts, sixteen soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice, including Havildar Tahir Mehmood and Lance Naik Muhammad Ishaq, among others.

The ISPR stated that a sanitisation operation was launched in the area to apprehend the attackers.

"Security forces are determined to eliminate terrorism," the statement said, highlighting Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining peace and security.

The incident follows a rise in terrorist activities in Pakistan, with recent reports indicating a significant increase in violent attacks.

The third quarter of the year witnessed a 90% surge in fatalities, particularly in KP and Balochistan. This recent surge in violence has resulted in 1,534 fatalities so far in 2024, surpassing the total number of deaths in 2023.