Elite Force constable martyred in armed attack in K-P’s Bannu | The Express Tribune

MIRANSHAH:

An Elite Force police constable was martyred after armed assailants opened fire on him in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P’s) Bannu on Monday, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rahmat Ali said.

Elite Force Constable Ahmadullah was at a shop in Peepal Bazaar, Daud Shah, when armed assailants opened fire on him, according to police. He sustained critical bullet wounds and was martyred at the scene, while the attackers fled the area.

Following the attack, a heavy contingent of police reached the area, cordoned it off and launched search and patrolling operations.

DSP Ali said the constable’s martyrdom was “deeply tragic” and that “his sacrifice will always be remembered.” He added that the attack would not demoralise the police and that law enforcement agencies would continue operations against hostile elements “with full determination.”

According to the DSP, surveillance and search operations had been further intensified, with police taking all possible measures to protect the lives and property of citizens and maintain law and order.

Terrorism has significantly increased in K-P and Balochistan in the past few years. The rise in terrorist activity has led to growing concerns over the security situation in these regions. In response, security forces have conducted intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups infiltrating from the Afghan border.

Read: Fitna al-Hindustan commander among three killed in Balochistan’s Mastung: state media

On September 9, a police constable was martyred and another injured when unknown assailants opened fire on a police vehicle during a routine patrol in the Shatakai dam area of Karak in K-P. The attack took place within the jurisdiction of Sabirabad police station, after which police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down those responsible.

On July 13, two police officers were killed and two others were injured when a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a police APC on the Wana-Jandola road in the province’s Tank district. Police said the device was remotely detonated and a search operation was launched after the attack.

Earlier, on July 3, unidentified attackers carried out two separate acts of sabotage in Bannu district, targeting a government girls’ middle school and a key link bridge. Explosives planted inside the Government Girls Middle School in Mama Khel damaged parts of the building, cracking classroom walls and shattering windows and doors.

In a separate incident in Bachki area of Jani Khel, terrorists planted a drum filled with explosives beneath an important bridge, apparently attempting to disrupt transport links. Security forces and the Bomb Disposal Unit defused the device before it could cause damage.

On June 20, at least seven people were killed when a passenger vehicle was targeted in an IED attack in the region.

The federal government has consistently raised its voice on international forums against terrorist sanctuaries operating in Afghanistan and using its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan — a development attested to by the United Nations Security Council.

However, the recent incidents in K-P reflect the continued security challenges plaguing the region.