Lt. Colonel among four soldiers martyred in anti-terror operation

Rawalpindi : Four soldiers, including a Pakistani Army officer, were killed on Monday during an intelligence operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Tirah Valley.
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces in the Thira Valley conducted an intelligence-gathering operation led by Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Hassan Haider.
Three terrorists were killed and three others injured. Four soldiers, including Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad Hassan Haider, were killed in a gunfight between security forces and terrorists.
Lieutenant Colonel Muhammad Hassan Haider was 43 years old and attached to Islamabad. Among the martyred soldiers were Naik Khushdir Khan, Naik Rafiq Khan and Lance Naik Abdul Qadir.
Naik Khushdir Khan was a 31-year-old from Raqqa Marwat, Naik Rafiq Khan was a 27-year-old from Charsadda and Lance Naik Abdul Qadir was a 33-year-old from Murree.
An operation was also launched to clear the area of ​​terrorists.
Security forces are committed to eradicating terrorism. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers strengthen our resolve, ISPR said. Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that the terrorists who recently attacked the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) training airfield in Mianwali were equipped with state-of-the-art foreign weapons.
US-made weapons were also recovered from the deceased terrorist. It was found to be equipped with RPG-7, AK-74, M-4, and M-16/A4.
Security sources say American-made weapons are plentiful and readily available on the Afghan market.
Terrorists have continued to use these weapons against Pakistan since the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. It is noteworthy here that the terrorists also used US-made weapons and other equipment in the attack on Zorb Cantonment.
Defense analysts stressed that Afghanistan’s interim government must prevent the country from being used by terrorists.