Four Pakistan Army soldiers were killed and five others were critically injured after heavily armed militants launched an attack on the Zhob garrison in northern Balochistan, reported Pakistani News organisation Dawn.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) stated that the terrorists’ initial attempt was to sneak into the facility but Pakistani soldiers countered them. As per the military’s media affairs wing, the attack took place during the early hours of Wednesday, the 12th of July.
The ISPR stated that in the ensuing heavy exchange of fire, the terrorists were cornered into a small area at the boundary. Subsequently, three “heavily armed terrorists” were killed by the security forces while a clearance operation was underway to apprehend the remaining two terrorists.
ISPR said, “Security forces remain determined to thwart all such ghastly attempts at destroying the peace of Balochistan and Pakistan.”
As per Dawn, Zhob District Commissioner (DC) Azeem Kakar said that a woman civilian was killed after being caught in the crossfire while five other civilians were left injured earlier in the day. The official added that the severely injured were being referred to Quetta.
DC Kakar also added that a passenger bus that was coming from Dera Ismail Khan was caught in the line of firing.
Dawn reported that Balochistan CM Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo condemned the attack on the Zhob garrison. Similarly, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also issued a statement condemning the attack.
Despite claims of a crackdown on terror infrastructure fearing Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) greylisting, terror attacks have only seen an uptick in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Reportedly, a little-known militant group, Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack. The militant group issued a statement taking responsibility for the attack on Pakistan’s Army base in the Balochistan Northern area.
In its statement, TJP claimed that it would release pictures and videos of its fighters who took part in the attack.
Incidences of terror attacks in the recent past
Earlier this month, the police and Levies checkposts in the Dhana Sar area of Balochistan’s Sherani subdistrict were attacked by some terrorists. Around four security personnel were killed in the terror attack.
A Pakistani think tank Institute for Conflict and Security Studies released a report earlier this month. In its report, the think tank highlighted that terror and suicide attacks have increased alarmingly in Pakistan. In these attacks, around 389 people have lost their lives across the country.
A report in Dawn, further added that in June, a police official was killed and two more were injured in a suicide attack on a police van in Balochistan’s Turbat.
Similarly, in another attack in June, two soldiers were killed when the security checkpost in the Kech district along the Pakistan-Iran border was under attack.
In June, ISPR Director General Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry addressed a press conference. In the PC, he said that the security forces conducted 13,619 intelligence operations this year. In these operations around 1,172 terrorists were killed or arrested.
He said, “On a daily basis, over 77 operations are being carried out by armed forces, police, intelligence agencies, and other law enforcement agencies to rid of the menace of terrorism.”
He also added that around 95 soldiers have been killed in these operations.
