SOUTH WAZIRISTAN / LAKKI MARWAT: Eight security personnel have been martyred in separate attacks in different areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the military’s media wing and police. In the Ladha area of South Wazir­istan, a group of militants attacked a checkpoint of security forces, Inter-Services Public Rela­tions (ISPR) confirmed in a statement. In the ensuing exchange of fire with the security forces, five alleged militants were killed. “However, during [an] intense exchange of fire, six brave sons of soil, having fought gallantly, paid the ultimate sacrifice and embraced shahadat,” the ISPR read. Earlier on Thursday, at least seven terrorists attempted to infiltrate the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Spinwam area of North Waziristan district,“ the statement read. Six soldiers embrace martyrdom in attack on check post; intelligence officer gunned down in Bannu The border forces detected the incursion and “surrounded” the infiltrators. In the exchange of fire, security forces killed all seven militants. A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives were also recovered from the possession of the alleged terrorists. In the Shahdev Khas area of Bannu, an intelligence official was martyred and his brother injured in an attack on Friday, according to local police. The victim, identified as Sultan Niaz, a sub-inspector in the Intelligence Bureau, was sitting with his brother, Shahab, near a market when assailants riding motorcycles opened fire at them. The deceased and injured were moved to the District Head­quarters Hospital while a large contingent of police reached the area and launched a search operation. Earlier on Thursday night, a security official was martyred, and two others were injured in cross-border firing allegedly by the Afghan forces, sources told . The attack took place at the Ghulam Khan border in Waziristan. According to sources, the Pakis­tani forces retaliated to the attack. The martyred and wounded security officials were shifted to a hospital in Miramshah. The border was later closed for vehicular movement, sources added. The country has lately witnessed a sharp uptick in the number of attacks targeting security forces, other law enforcement agencies, and security checkpoints, particularly in Balochistan and KP. Attacks escalated after the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022 and vowed to target security forces.