ISLAMABAD: Seven Pakistani soldiers, including an army captain, were killed in a roadside blast in Pakistan’s restive northwest on Sunday, the Pakistani military said.
The blast occurred as an improvised explosive device targeted a vehicle carrying the soldiers in Lakki Marwat district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
The province, which borders Afghanistan, has witnessed several attacks on police, security forces and civilians amid a renewed wave of violence in recent months.
“On 9 June 24, an improvised explosive device exploded on vehicle of Security Forces in Lakki Marwat District,” the ISPR said in a statement.
“Resultantly, Captain Muhammad Faraz Ilyas (age: 26 years, resident of Kasur District) along with six other brave sons of soil... made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat (martyrdom).”
The ISPR said a sanitization operation was underway in the area to eliminate any militants. “Perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice,” it added.
While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion is likely to fall on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has claimed dozens of recent attacks.
Pakistan has witnessed a renewed surge in militant violence in its two western provinces, KP and Balochistan, since the TTP called off its fragile truce with the government in November 2022.
This week, gunmen killed at least four policemen and a prayer leader, while three anti-polio vaccinators and two policemen were injured in separate incidents in KP, according to officials.
Pakistan has blamed the surge in violence on militants operating out of neighboring Afghanistan. Kabul denies the allegation and says rising violence in Pakistan is a domestic issue of Islamabad.
Army captain among seven soldiers killed in roadside blast in northwest Pakistan
https://arab.news/99xzv
Army captain among seven soldiers killed in roadside blast in northwest Pakistan
- The blast occurred as an improvised explosive device targeted a security forces vehicle in Lakki Marwat district
- While no group claimed responsibility for the attack, suspicion is likely to fall on the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
China backs Pakistan in fight against militancy after deadly Balochistan attacks
- China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan and has pledged over $65 billion in major infrastructure projects, including in Balochistan
- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian says ‘we mourn for lives lost, and our hearts go out to injured and those who lost loved ones’
ISLAMABAD: China condemns the recent attacks that killed more than 200 people in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday, reaffirming Beijing’s support for Pakistan in its fight against militancy.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) group launched coordinated attacks in several cities across Balochistan on Saturday, killing 33 civilians and 17 security personnel. Officials said 117 militants were killed in skirmishes and follow-up operations.
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the site of a decades-long insurgency waged by Baloch separatist groups who often attack security forces, foreigners and non-local Pakistanis and kidnap government officials.
China is a major ally and investor in Pakistan and has pledged over $65 billion in investment in road, infrastructure and development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“China strongly condemns the [Balochistan] attacks... We mourn for the lives lost, and our hearts go out to the injured and those who lost their loved ones,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a press briefing on Tuesday.
“China firmly opposes any form of terrorism and will as always firmly support Pakistan in combating terrorism, maintaining solidarity and social stability, and protecting the safety of the people.”
Chinese nationals working in Pakistan have often been targeted by militants, particularly in the southwestern Balochistan province, where China is developing a deep seaport that is touted as the crown jewel of CPEC.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said last week the attacks, claimed by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), were planned from India. New Delhi rejected the allegation as “baseless,” saying Islamabad was attempting to deflect attention from its internal challenges.
Balochistan is home to vast reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons. Separatist militant groups such as the BLA blame Islamabad for exploiting Balochistan’s natural resources and denying locals a share in them. The military and civilian government reject these allegations and say they are investing in the province’s development.
