Militants attack kills nine policemen in northwest Pak

Peshawar, July 31:

At least nine policemen, including a senior officer, were killed and over two dozen others injured when militants attacked a checkpost in northwest Pakistan, police said on Thursday.

The attack late Wednesday on the Khazina Banda checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, bordering Afghanistan, also left 15 militants dead, police said.

No group or individual immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said that the checkpost was attacked by Fitna al Khawarij, a term the government uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists.

Following the attack on the police checkpost, reinforcements were dispatched to assist, he said. However, the vehicle carrying additional personnel also came under fire, he added.

During the intense exchange of fire, nine policemen, including Deputy Superintendent of Police Diyar Khan, were killed while 28 others were injured, Hameed said.

He added that 15 militants were killed while multiple others were injured due to the police’s response.

Speaking to Dawn, a senior police official also confirmed the number of casualties. He said that an exchange of fire broke out after the terrorists attacked the checkpost.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have condemned the attack on the checkpost in Hangu.

“Police have always served as the frontline force in the fight against terrorism,” Sharif said.

The prime minister reaffirmed the government’s firm resolve to eliminate terrorism “in all its forms” from the country.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack. He called on President Zardari and briefed him on the current law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan and the ongoing measures against terrorism, the President’s office said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi condemned the attack and sought a detailed report.

The chief minister also directed the authorities to ensure medical treatment for the injured police personnel and support to the families of the officials killed during the operation.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has faced recurring unrest over the years driven by militant violence, cross-border movement of fighters from Afghanistan and repeated military operations.

The federal government accuses the banned TTP of carrying out attacks in the province after its ceasefire deal ended in November 2022.