President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday severely convicted the suicide attack on the security forces in the North -waziristan and termed it as a feiging act sponsored by external forces aimed at destabilizing the country.
In their separate statements, the president and prime minister paid tribute to the 13 soldiers who were martyrated during surgery and praised the security forces for removing 14 terrorists in the subsequent exchange of fire while offering prayers to the height of the martyrs and expressing sympathy with the deprived families.
Both leaders also wanted a quick improvement for the three civilians – including two children and a woman – who were injured in the attack.
Read more: 13 troops martyrs in suicide attack on military convoy in North Waziristan
President Zardari said the Pakistani nation and its armed forces were determined to proclaim terrorism, especially the “Indian sponsored” networks operating in the region.
He emphasized that the victims of the martyrs would never be forgotten and that national resilience would prevail over all attempts to destabilize the country.
Prime Minister Sharif said in his statement that the nation greeted the martyred staff and was united in his decision to eliminate terrorism in all its forms. He reiterated that such feige acts would not shake Pakistan’s commitment to peace and security.
The coordinated attack took place early Saturday morning in Dandi Dir Dawani Village of Mir Ali Tehsil, where a suicide bomber targeted a military convoy.
According to sources, the incident took place at 1 p.m. 07.45 in exit hours imposed due to troop movements.
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Publicers between services confirmed in a statement the loss of 13 officials and damage to three civilians in the suicide attack. The military’s media wing said the bomber’s vehicle was captured by the main group in the convoy, but the striker managed to detonate the explosives, resulting in significant losses.
After the explosion, a sanitization operation was launched in the area. In a separate statement, ISPR said 14 terrorists were killed in the subsequent exchange of fire. The operation was still clearing the area of remaining threats, it added.
A relatively less known militant clothing, Aswadul Harb, assumed responsibility for the attack and identified the suicide bomber as a man named Abdullah. The group is reportedly linked to the Hafiz Yellow Bahadur network, a fraction in line with the forbidden Tehreek-E-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is believed to operate from safe ports in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province.
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Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and promised to mask what he called the “true perpetrator of terrorism in the region.”
He praised the courage and professionalism of the troops involved in the operation, and said that the armed forces “continue to confront and neutralize the Indian sponsored Fitna al-Khawarij with exemplary skill.”
“The population of Pakistan is united in their decision to eradicate terrorism in all its forms and manifestations until the threat is resolutely eliminated from the country,” the ISPR army chief quoted.
