At least three security personnel martyred in K-P attacks

At least three security personnel were martyred and others were injured in two attacks in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province on Friday.

In the first incident in K-P’s Tank district, a suicide bomber blew himself up at the gate of the local police lines. At least one police official was martyred and three others were injured in the attack.

According to initial reports, one attacker was killed in retaliatory action by police. The terrorists managed to enter the premises and continued their attack using hand grenades and small arms.

The attack injured at least four security personnel, including two FC troopers and two police officials.

Contact has also been lost with 10 other police personnel following the attack. According to the police, gunfire at the site of the attack has ended and a clearance operation is ongoing with the aid of other security forces.

In the second attack in the province’s Khyber district, terrorists attacked a joint check post manned by police and Frontier Corps personnel.

At least two civilians were martyred and six others were injured in the attack. The injured were shifted to Peshawar for medical treatment.

The terrorists escaped after coming under retaliatory fire from security personnel.

The province of K-P has seen a recent surge in terror attacks. In one of the worst terror attacks on army troops in years, six terrorists attacked a security forces’ check post in the Daraban area of DI Khan earlier this week on Tuesday.

“The attempt to enter the post was effectively thwarted which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the post, followed by a suicide bombing attack,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

“The resulting blasts led to the collapse of the building, causing multiple casualties; 23 brave soldiers embraced shahadat, while all six terrorists were effectively engaged and sent to hell,” the ISPR added.

The Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a group that only emerged on the scene in February this year, claimed responsibility for the DI Khan attack.

Last week, the United States threw its weight behind Pakistan in the wake of renewed threat posed by banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), as the key aide of President Biden said his country stands with Pakistan.

The support from the US came at a time when Pakistan is grappling with increased terrorist attacks being perpetrated by the TTP from across the border in Afghanistan.

US special Representative for Afghanistan Tom West flew to Pakistan earlier this week and held talks with Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir and other officials.

Before wrapping up his three-day visit, the US pointman for Afghanistan on Saturday in a statement acknowledged the “grave threat” posed by the TTP to Pakistan.