Tariq Saeed
Peshawar/Rawalpindi
A serving captain of the Pakistan Army and a soldier were martyred and two others sustained serious injuries when a convoy of the security forces was ambushed by the unknown terrorists in North Waziristan tribal district on Sunday. In the retaliatory fire, however, a miscreant was also mowed down. The Shaheed officer was recognized as Captain Mohammad Sabih Abrar.
According to military sources exchange of fire between the security forces and the militants took place when the later launched attack on the Army convoy in South East of Ghariom near North Waziristan and South Waziristan Districts boundary Sunday morning.
According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations, security forces were patrolling the area five kilometers south-east of Ghariom near the boundary between North and South Waziristan when terrorists opened fire on them.
The shootout resulted in the Shahadat of Captain Mohammad Sabih Abrar and Sepoy Naveed Akhtar though a terrorist was also killed in exchange of fire. Two soldiers of the Pakistan Army also sustained serious injuries and were shifted to hospital for treatment.
Later, during sanitization a terrorist’s compound was cleared,” the Inter Services Public Relations communiqué said. The security forces are also reported to have kicked off search and clearance operation following the skirmish in which a compound used by the militants was cleared by the forces.The latest attack came as authorities prepared to reopen a key border crossing with neighbouring Afghanistan to allow trade. Trucks carrying fruit, vegetables and other items will start crossing the Ghulam Khan border in North Waziristan district on Monday.
Meanwhile, Indian troops backed by artillery and long-range guns fired on villages along the border in Azad Kashmir region, killing a 13-year-old-girl and wounding her mother and brother, officials and Pakistan military said Sunday.
In a statement, the military said the Indian army initiated Saturday night’s “unprovoked cease-fire violation” in the villages of Hajjipir and Bedori. It said Pakistani troops “effectively responded” to the Indian fire.
Mortars fired by Indian troops also damaged several homes, according to local media reports and government officials. The latest incident comes days after Indian fire killed four villagers in Azad Kashmir.
