Three terrorists involved in Zhob Cantt attack identified as Afghan nationals, confirms FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Foreign Office has said that it has been confirmed that three terrorists involved in the attack on Zhob Cantt on July 12 have been identified as Afghan nationals.

The terrorists belong to Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, it further said.

Strongly reacting to the incident, the Foreign Office of Pakistan has given instructions to the Afghan Embassy to receive the bodies of Afghan terrorists.

The Foreign Office expresses its deep concern and condemnation over the continued involvement of Afghan terrorists in terror activities in Pakistan and the use of Afghan territory for terrorism within Pakistan.

It is pertinent to mention here, as many as 12 soldiers of the Pakistan Army embraced martyrdom in separate military operations in the Zhob and Sui areas of Balochistan, while seven “heavily armed” militants who reportedly attacked the security forces were also killed, the military’s media wing said in multiple statements on July 13.

This was the military’s highest single-day death toll from terrorist attacks reported this year. Before this, 10 personnel were martyred in a ‘fire raid’ in Balochistan’s Kech district in February 2022.

According to a press release issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), security forces came under fire from militants in Sui during an operation in the area. “During the fire exchange, three brave soldiers, having fought gallantly, embraced ‘shahadat’ while two terrorists were sent to hell during the operation,” the statement read.