Two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were martyred after militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a military convoy.
According to the ISPR, the operation was launched after reports indicated the presence of armed militants, including a suicide bomber. A vehicle-borne suicide attacker was intercepted by the leading security element before he could reach Bannu city, preventing what the military termed a major attack on civilians or law enforcement personnel.
During the ensuing firefight, five militants were killed. In what the ISPR described as a “desperate act,” attackers drove an explosives-packed vehicle into one of the convoy’s vehicles.
Lieutenant Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz, 43, a resident of Mansehra district and the commanding officer leading from the front, was martyred along with Sepoy Karamat Shah, 28, from Peshawar district, the statement added.
The military accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of failing to prevent militants from using Afghan territory to conduct attacks inside Pakistan, even during Ramadan. It warned that counterterrorism operations would continue “irrespective of location” against those responsible.
The ISPR said the campaign under Vision Azm-e-Istehkam would proceed at full pace to eliminate what it called foreign-sponsored terrorism, adding that the sacrifices of soldiers reinforce the resolve to safeguard the country.
The operation followed a February 17 attack in Bajaur district in which 11 security personnel were martyred and 12 militants were killed in retaliatory action.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has reported a surge in cross-border militant activity, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
In a January 6 press briefing, ISPR Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said law enforcement agencies conducted 75,175 intelligence-based operations nationwide in 2025. Of these, 14,658 were carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 58,778 in Balochistan, and 1,739 in other regions.
He stated that 5,397 militant incidents were recorded nationwide last year, including 3,811 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 1,557 in Balochistan and 29 elsewhere. Counterterrorism operations resulted in the killing of 2,597 militants, he added, noting that 10 major attacks targeted civilians and other soft targets, all allegedly involving militants operating from Afghanistan.
