Three soldiers martyred in central Kurram attack

PARACHINAR: Three soldiers were martyred and four others sustained serious injuries when terrorists opened fire on security forces in the Chinarak area of central part of Kurram on Sunday.

According to police sources, the security personnel were patrolling near Takray Patti when heavily armed militants opened fire with heavy weapons. In the intense exchange of gunfire, they said Lance Naik Aamir, Sepoy Akram, and Sepoy Jibran embraced martyrdom, while Sepoy Suleman, Masoodul Hasan, Nasir, and Irfan sustained severe injuries. The wounded soldiers and the bodies of martyrs were immediately shifted to CMH Thal for medical treatment and further procedures.

Following the attack, security forces launched a retaliatory operation across various areas of central Kurram. As part of their crackdown, multiple houses suspected of harboring terrorist facilitators were set ablaze.

The worsening security situation has led to significant disruptions in the region. The main highways and transportation routes across Kurram district remain closed due to the presence of militants in the bordering mountainous areas of Khyber and Orakzai, effectively confining thousands of residents within their villages.

Military operations have been ongoing in central Kurram for an extended period, but the persistent presence of terrorists continues to pose a major threat to both security forces and local civilians. The blockade of roads has left the population stranded, causing severe hardships for daily life, trade and medical emergencies.

Meanwhile, the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliate, TTG Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group Kurram Wilayah, has claimed responsibility for the attack on a security forces’ post in the Takrai Patti area of central Kurram.

According to Zubair, a commander, one of their fighters, Hassan, was killed during the operation.