Seven soldiers martyred as terrorists ambush military convoy near Pak-Afghan border

RAWALPINDI: Seven soldiers were martyred Thursday when terrorists ambushed a military convoy near the Pakistan-Afghan border, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

In a statement issued Friday, the military's media wing said the incident took place in the general area of Isham, North Waziristan District.

Following the ambush, the troops initiated a prompt response and effectively engaged and killed four terrorists, while a clearance operation in the area is underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists, ISPR said.

The Pakistan Army remains determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve, it added.

The martyred soldiers have been identified as:

• Havaldar Tariq Yousaf, 36, resident of Faisalabad;
• Sepoy Suleman Waqas, 34, resident of Layyah;
• Sepoy Junaid Ali, 26, resident of Layyah;
• Sepoy Ijaz Hussain, 27, resident of Khairpur;
• Sepoy Waqar Ahmed, 25, resident of Mirpur Khas;
• Sepoy Muhammad Jawad Ameer, 24, resident of Chakwal;
• Sepoy Arshad Ali; 23, resident of Sohbatpur. 

A Pakistan Army soldier was martyred in an exchange of fire with terrorists in the same area a day earlier, the ISPR had said. He was identified as sepoy Asmatullah Khan, 28.