Photos courtesy ISPR
At least six people—three Pakistan Army soldiers and three children—were martyred on Sunday in a suicide blast near Miranshah, North Waziristan, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
According to the military’s media wing, Lance Havaldar Zubair Qadir, 33, from Pakpattan; Sepoy Uzair Asfar, 21, resident of Haripur; and Sepoy Qasim Maqsood, 22, Multan were the soldiers martyred in the bombing. It said that Ahmed Hassan, 11, Ahsan, 8, and Anum, 4, were the children who embraced martyrdom in the same attack.
“Intelligence agencies are investigating to find out about suicide bomber and his handlers/facilitators,” the statement added.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the suicide attack and offered his “heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.” Describing killers of “innocent children” as enemies of both Islam and humanity, he said Pakistan would not rest until such brutalities had been eradicated. “Blood of our soldiers and citizens is a debt on us that we will repay by eradicating terrorism from our country,” he added.
Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the attack, adding that the entire nation stood with the Army against terrorism.
There has been a surge in terrorist attacks on security personnel in recent months. Last month, two Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom in South Waziristan district during a gun-battle with terrorists. Similarly, on April 23, three Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred in North Waziristan during an exchange of fire with terrorists from across the Afghan border.