Two soldiers were martyred and as many terrorists killed during an exchange of fire in the Janikhel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, the military’s media affairs wing said on Saturday.

“Security personnel effectively engaged the terrorists’ location during the gun battle, as a result of which two terrorists were sent to hell,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

The ISPR added that Bahawalpur resident Naib Subedar Ghulam Murataza, 40, and Sialkot resident Havildar Muhammad Anwar, 41, “having fought gallantly and embraced shahadat (martyrdom)”.

Sanitisation of the area was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found there, the statement said and added that the “armed forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve”.