The army’s media wing said on Wednesday that four soldiers were martyred and five were seriously injured in a “horrendous attack” by terrorists on the Zhob garrison of the Pakistan Army in northern Balochistan.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that on the morning of July 12 (today), a group of terrorists launched a cowardly attack on the garrison, noting that the initial attempt to enter the facility was foiled by “soldiers”. “Checked. Obligation.”
Upon intervention, there was a fierce exchange of fire between the terrorists and the troops, with the militants “besieged in a small area of the border”.
The media wing of the army said in a statement that a clearance operation is underway by the security forces to nab the remaining two terrorists.
“The security forces are determined to foil all such nefarious attempts to destroy the peace of Balochistan and Pakistan,” the ISPR added.
Terrorist attacks have increased in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, as security forces step up operations to eradicate the menace of terrorism.
According to a statistical report released by independent think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), terrorist activities in the country increased by 79% during the first half of 2023.
The report alarmed that at least 271 militant attacks took place during the past six months, resulting in the loss of 389 lives and 656 injuries.
In the same time frame last year, the situation was much better than the current one, as in the first half of 2022 there were 151 attacks and 293 deaths, and 487 injuries.
These figures represent a staggering 79 percent increase in militant attacks during the first half of this year compared to the same period last year.
Additionally, 228 attacks were recorded in the latter half of 2022, resulting in 246 deaths and 349 injuries. Thus, the first six months of 2023 saw an 18 percent increase in attacks compared to the last half of 2022, along with a 58 percent increase in fatalities and an 88 percent increase in injuries.
Pakistani security forces have also stepped up their response to terrorism and have killed at least 236 militants across the country while arresting 295 suspected militants during the first six months of 2023.
