Bannu police repelled a militant attack on the Fatah Khel police checkpoint early Monday morning PHOTO: EXPRESS
MIRAN SHAH:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police on Saturday killed two suspected terrorists involved in the murder of a Rescue 1122 driver, while another terrorist was also killed in a separate operation, according to Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan.
he said The express PAkGazette that an intelligence operation (IBO) was carried out near Khojari in Circular Road area, where an exchange of fire took place between the police and terrorists. Two suspected terrorists died in the operation while their accomplices managed to escape.
RPO Khan said the slain terrorists were wanted for various crimes, particularly the murder of Bannu Rescue 1122 driver Usman Khan.
Unidentified terrorists shot Usman a day ago in what was described as the first murder of an emergency services employee in the province’s history. Police said the attack took place in Zarghar Mamikhel area, where armed terrorists opened fire and fled.
His body was shifted to the district headquarters hospital for post-mortem examination, while it was confirmed that he was police constable Rukhsar’s brother.
Read: Rescue 1,122 workers shot dead in Bannu
RPO Khan visited the native village of the martyred police personnel at Fateh Khel police post and offered prayers for them.
On the occasion, he reiterated the determination to continue large-scale operations against terrorists. He added that operations against terrorists will continue without interruption until lasting peace is achieved in the region.
In a separate incident, he said another suspected terrorist was killed during an operation by security forces in Sardi Khel area of Jani Khel.
On May 11, 15 policemen were martyred in a brazen attack on a Bannu police checkpoint, while a banned organisation, Ittehad Mujahideen Pakistan, belonged to Fitna al-Khawarijresponsibility was claimed.
On the night of Saturday to Sunday, terrorists rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the Fateh Khel police checkpoint in Bannu, causing a massive explosion that completely reduced the structure to rubble.
On April 20, a police constable was martyred in the Akhundan forest civil camp area near the Bannu border during an intelligence-based operation by the Counter Terrorism Department.
On April 6, two police officers and a security guard were killed in separate shootings in Bannu. The first attack occurred outside an office of the National Database and Registration Authority in the Baka Khel area, where gunmen opened fire on security personnel. Two officers, Constable Rafiullah and security guard Gul Shah Noor, died on the spot.
In another incident near Miryan Kinger police station, another police officer, Sher Muhammad, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
KP has been fighting terrorism since the US expulsion from Afghanistan, and terrorists often cross the border to attack police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and staff.
The province has witnessed a rise in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Out of a total of 5,397 incidents reported last year, KP recorded 3,811 incidents, followed by Balochistan with 1,557. Only 29 incidents were reported in the rest of the country. During the year, a total of 2,597 terrorists were killed.
