Bannu police repel 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 killing 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 PK Press Club that an intelligence-based operation (IBO) was carried out near Khojari in the Circular Road area, where an exchange of fire took place between the police and the terrorists. During the operation, two suspected terrorists were killed while their accomplices managed to escape.
RPO Khan said the slain terrorists were wanted for several crimes, particularly the murder of Bannu Rescue 1122 driver Usman Khan.
Unidentified terrorists had shot dead Usman a day ago, in what was described as the first killing of an emergency service worker in the province’s history. Police said the attack took place in the Zarghar Mamikhel area, where armed terrorists opened fire and fled.
His body was taken to the district headquarters hospital for post-mortem, while it was confirmed that he was the brother of police constable Rukhsar.
Read: Rescue 1122 employee shot dead in Bannu
RPO Khan visited the native village of the martyred policemen at Fateh Khel police station and offered prayers for them.
On the occasion, he reiterated his determination to continue large-scale operations against terrorists. He added that operations against terrorists would continue uninterrupted until lasting peace was established in the region.
In another incident, he said another suspected terrorist was killed during an operation carried out by security forces in Sardi Khel area of Jani Khel.
On May 11, 15 police officers were killed in a brazen attack on a police checkpoint in Bannu, as a banned group, Ittehad Mujahideen Pakistan, belonging to Fitna al-Khawarijclaimed responsibility.
On Saturday night, terrorists rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the Fateh Khel police checkpoint in Bannu, triggering 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 Bannu border during an intelligence operation of the Counter Terrorism Department.
On April 6, two police officers and a security guard were killed in separate shootings in Bannu. The first attack took place outside an office of the National Database and Registration Authority in the Baka Khel area, where gunmen opened fire on security personnel. Two police officers, constable Rafiullah and security guard Gul Shah Noor, were killed at the scene.
In another incident near Miryan Kinger police station, another police constable, Sher Muhammad, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.
The KP has been battling terrorism since the US ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, leading to the deaths of several officials and personnel.
The province has seen a surge in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Of the total 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. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year.
