3 soldiers martyred, 8 injured as terrorists open fire at routine patrol in Balochistan

RAWALPINDI: Three security personnel were martyred and eight others injured after terrorists opened fire at them during a routine patrolling near Balochistan's Kahan village, the military's media wing said Tuesday.

In its statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the security forces were patrolling near Gichak valley in the Panjgur district of Balochistan.

"Three soldiers embraced shahadat [martyrdom] while eight soldiers received injuries, including an officer. Five injured are critical," the ISPR said. 

The injured soldiers were shifted to Combined Military Hospital in Quetta, the statement added.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said the attack was a "condemnable act of terrorism".

Senate Deputy Chairperson Saleem Mandviwala condemned the firing on security forces' patrolling party in Balochistan, saying it was a plot to harm peace in Pakistan

"The entire nation stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the armed forces," Mandviwala said. "Our soldiers have made many sacrifices to help establish peace in the country."

Operation in Boyya

Earlier this week, four terrorists had been killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Boyya area of North Waziristan, the ISPR had said.

The operation was carried out in Vezhda Sar, eight kilometres southwest of Boyya in the North Waziristan district of Miranshah.

"Sanitisation force conducted operation against terrorists' hideout in Vezhda Sar this morning. As soon as the troops cordoned off the area, terrorists opened fire. All dug out terrorists were shot down by security forces," the statement had read.

According to the ISPR, while returning fire, four soldiers had embraced martyrdom. They were identified as Sepoys Muhammad Ismail Khan, Muhammad Shahbaz Yasin, Raja Waheed Ahmed, and Muhammad Rizwan Khan.