In a major security operation in the Sar Banda area of Maidan, Lower Dir, at least seven personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) were martyred and thirteen others sustained injuries following an intense gunfight with militants. The clash erupted when militants, having taken positions in the difficult mountainous terrain, ambushed a security convoy within the jurisdiction of the Lal Qila police station. Official sources also reported that one FC soldier remains missing in the aftermath of the fierce battle.
The injured security personnel were immediately transported to Lal Qila Hospital for initial treatment and were later referred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Timergara for further care. As the operation continued, a heavy contingent of police, Elite Force, and Dir Scouts remained deployed in the area to maintain pressure and pursue the militants. While security forces claimed to have inflicted “significant losses” on the militants, specific details were not immediately disclosed.
The region holds historical significance as a former stronghold for militant activity. Lal Qila was once the base for the proscribed Tehreek-i-Nifaz-i-Shariat-i-Muhammadi (TNSM), led by Maulana Sufi Muhammad. His son-in-law, Mullah Fazlullah, who later became the head of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), operated from the area before fleeing to Afghanistan, where he was eventually killed in an airstrike.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued separate statements lauding the security forces for their successful operations. They praised the bravery and professionalism of the troops, with official reports stating that 19 militants were eliminated in the action. Both leaders reaffirmed the nation’s determination to completely eradicate terrorism, with President Zardari stating, “Pakistan is determined to eliminate Indian-sponsored terrorism,” and PM Shehbaz vowing to continue the war until terrorism is eliminated from the country.
