Two Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in a terror attack that took place in the Kohlu area of Balochistan. The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), confirmed that an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded close to the leading party during a sanitization operation on February 10th. The operation was initiated based on credible intelligence to deny terrorists any liberty of action. The two officers who were martyred in the attack have been identified as Major Jawad and Captain Sagheer.
The ISPR stated that a sanitization operation is ongoing in the area to apprehend the perpetrators and enemies of peace. The military also emphasized that such cowardly acts will not be able to sabotage the hard-earned peace and prosperity in Balochistan and that the security forces are determined to neutralize the threat.
The attack on Thursday was the latest in a series of terrorist attacks in the region, with the number of such incidents having increased since the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) rescinded the ceasefire with the government in 2021. A report shows that January was the deadliest month since 2018, with 134 people losing their lives and 254 others being injured in at least 44 militant attacks across the country.
Last week, a coast guard was martyred and seven others were injured in a landmine explosion and subsequent ambush by armed militants in the Jiwani area of Gwadar district. On February 6th, seven people were injured in two terrorist attacks in Quetta, with five people, including an office-bearer of the Civil Secretariat Staff Association, suffering injuries in the first attack. The outlawed TTP later claimed responsibility for the blast, stating that it was a suicide bombing. In the second attack, a woman and her child were injured when unknown persons riding motorcycles hurled a grenade into a house. The grenade exploded in the courtyard.