ISLAMABAD: US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale on Monday expressed grief over martyrdom of four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel in a roadside blast in Kurram Agency near the Pak-Afghan border.
While commending the Pakistan Army for rescuing the US-Canadian couple along with three children, he said that the martyred soldiers were in the search for the kidnappers. He thanked the security forces for safely liberating the family.
David Hale termed US’s accusations over Pakistan for not conducting operation against Haqqani network as “baseless”.
On Sunday, at least four Frontier Corps (FC) personnel, including an officer, were martyred and two others wounded in a landmine explosion in Kurram Agency.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations [ISPR], the IED was planted by terrorists near the Pak-Afghan border in Kharlachi.
The troops were part of the search party for handlers of Canadian-American family that was recently freed by the Pakistan Army, the military’s media wing said in a statement.
The army on Thursday had rescued an American woman and her Canadian husband along with their three young children, who were held hostage by militants in Afghanistan for five years.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] claimed responsibility for the attack.
The four security personnel who were martyred were identified as Captain Husnain, Sepoy Saeed Baz, Sepoy Qadir and Sepoy Jumma Gul. Injured security personnel were shifted to a local hospital.
Security was put on high alert following the incident.
Their funeral prayers were offered at the FC Ground in Parachinar where senior civil and military officials were in attendance. In a statement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, as well as Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, had condemned the incident.
Bhutto called for national unity to defeat terrorism.