LANDI KOTAL: A soldier embraced martyrdom and five suspected terrorists were killed in a gun battle in the Rajgal area of Tirah Valley on Thursday.

A group of terrorists taking advantage of the absence of a proper border security mechanism on the Afghan side crossed the border and opened fire on newly established check-posts at multiple locations in Rajgal, said an Inter-Services Public Relations statement.

“Pakistan army retaliated effectively and killed five terrorists while injuring four more,” it said, adding that a soldier of Pakistan Army, Muhammad Ilyas, was martyred in the exchange of fire.

Soldier embraces martyrdom in the attack

The incident was the second of its kind since last week of September when a junior officer of the army was martyred in the same region in clashes with suspected militants who had crossed over from Afghanistan.

Rajgal and its surrounding areas were cleared by security forces under the Khyber-IV military operation while forcing the militant groups having hideouts in Rajgal to relocate to Afghanistan.

The operation was called off in April but the area remains de-notified with families displaced in 2012 still awaiting their return.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2017