–Four paramilitary personnel martyred as militants attack FC training centre in Loralai
–Media reports claim TTP responsible for attack
QUETTA: Four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel were martyred and four terrorists were killed, as security forces foiled a major terrorist attack at Loralai FC Training Centre on Tuesday.
According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the terrorists attempted to attack compound of security forces in a training centre of FC at Loralai, Balochistan. However, the security forces responded forcefully and repelled their attack.
The statement further explained that after failing in their primary target, the terrorists resorted to indiscriminate firing and entered a compound adjacent to a checkpost which was immediately cordoned off by the security forces. Due to the timely action of security forces, the terrorists were unable to cause any damage or casualties in the residential compound.
Later on, in a subsequent operation, four terrorists were shot down, including one suicide bomber, who blew himself up during the final stage of clearance operation. The initial exchange of fire at checkpost resulted in the martyrdom of four security forces personnel while two got injured.
The martyrs include Subedar Major Munawar, Havildar Iqbal Khan, Havildar Bilal and Sepoy Naqshab.
TTP CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY:
According to media reports, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani, in a statement, said that the attack carried out by a group affiliated with the militant outfit started at 4am in the morning and continued for eight hours.
PUNJAB CM CONDEMNS ATTACK:
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar paid tribute to the security officials who courageously and bravely embraced martyrdom while neutralising the terrorist attack in Loralai. He said that the martyred officials have failed the nefarious designs of the terrorists and the nation is proud of its brave sons who have sent the terrorists to hell. “We pay tribute to their courage and bravery,” he added. He has also extended sympathies to the bereaved heirs and prayed for early recovery of the injured.
THE TROUBLED BALOCHISTAN:
Despite statistics showing a considerable drop in overall terrorism in Pakistan in the recent past, Balochistan has continued to experience violence, with considerable target attacks on police and law enforcement agencies. The province had the most number of fatalities at 407, followed by FATA (208) and Sindh (192). Of the 2,333 casualties in 2018, 1,131 were fatalities, down 45% from 2,047 the prior year.
The province has come repeatedly under attack by the religious terror outfits, such as Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, and banned Baloch nationalist outfits. In addition, Islamic State has also gained a foothold in the province, claiming responsibility for the deadliest attack during the election campaign that had claimed over 130 lives.
