Three Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom during shootouts with terrorists at three different locations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley, the military’s media affairs wing said on Friday.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), fire exchange took place between security forces and the “Khwarij” at three different locations in Tirah Valley of Khyber District.

“Resultantly, four khwarij were sent to hell due to effective engagement by own troops.”

However, during the intense fire exchange, three brave soldiers — Havildar Inam Gul, 37, resident of District Mianwali; Sepoy Muhammad Imran, 29, resident of District Tank and Sepoy Iltaf Khan, 22, resident of District Mardan, — having fought gallantly embraced Shahadat.

It added that a sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other “Kharji” found in the area as security forces are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

Since the Taliban came into power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a significant surge in terrorist attacks on security forces, especially in provinces bordering the neighbouring country in recent months with the militants using advanced weaponry and equipment.

With the security forces hitting hard on terrorism, the frequency of such incidents of violence went down in recent months. The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report stated that during the second quarter of the current year, Pakistan witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, resulting from as many as 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

In the backdrop of this, the federal cabinet had approved the launching of the counter-terrorism operation — Operation Azm-e-Istehkam — following the National Action Plan's Central Apex Committee's recommendations to root out terrorism from the country.