DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A Pakistan Army major was martyred and seven khawarij were killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military said on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces launched the operation on October 8 in the general area of Daraban after receiving reports about the presence of militants linked to the India-backed group Fitna al-Khawarij.
The military said its troops effectively engaged the militants, killing seven of them and recovering weapons and ammunition from the site. The slain militants had been involved in multiple attacks against security forces, law enforcement agencies, and civilians.
During the exchange of fire, Major Sibtain Haider, 30, a resident of Quetta, sustained critical injuries while leading his men from the front. He was shifted to the Combined Military Hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
The ISPR described Major Haider as a brave officer who “fought gallantly and embraced martyrdom in the line of duty.”
Security forces have launched a sanitization operation in the area to track down any remaining militants. The statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorism, saying the “sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our national determination to eradicate Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country.”
Yesterday, a statement from the ISPR said that at least 19 Khawarij were killed and 11 Pakistani soldiers, including two officers, were martyred during a gunbattle in Orakzai district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that security forces launched an intelligence-based operation in the Orakzai tribal district on the night of October 7–8, following reports about the presence of militants linked to the Indian proxy group “Fitna al Khawarij.”
ISPR said Pakistani troops engaged the militants effectively, killing 19 of them. During the intense exchange of fire, Lieutenant Colonel Junaid Arif, 39, and Major Tayyab Rahat, 33 — both residents of Rawalpindi — were martyred while leading their troops from the front.
