Three police personnel, one of them an officer of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), lost their lives in three separate attacks in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police said on Friday.
The incidents took place in Bajaur, Lakki Marwat and Bannu, and were reported by police as distinct attacks rather than a single coordinated assault.
Checkpost attack and Lakki Marwat shooting
In the first incident, militants attacked a police checkpost near the junction of Bajaur and Malakand districts and killed a constable. Police identified him as Khaista Ameen Syed, who died while defending the post.
In Lakki Marwat, armed men on motorcycles opened fire on police at Shahbazkhel Adda, killing Constable Mumtaz Khan of Shahbazkhel Police Station. Police said another officer with him returned fire, forcing the attackers to flee.
District police, a local peace committee and security forces then launched a pursuit operation. In an exchange of fire, two suspected terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK) were killed, while efforts continued to track down three other suspects.
CTD official shot dead in Bannu
A CTD official, Sadiq Zaman, was shot dead within the limits of Saddar Police Station in Bannu. Police said he was serving with CTD North Waziristan, was on leave at his home, and also worked as driver for the SP CTD North Waziristan.
His body was moved to the District Headquarters Hospital, and police have launched an investigation into the killing.
Army operation in Dera Ismail Khan
Earlier, on October 26, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said six terrorists were killed and two Pakistan Army soldiers died during an intelligence-based operation in the Zarkani area of Dera Ismail Khan.
In a statement, the military’s media wing said security forces acted on reports of Fitna al-Khawarij’s presence and targeted a hideout of what it called Indian-sponsored terrorists. During an intense exchange of fire, Naik Ghulam Murtaza, 36, from Gujrat, and Sepoy Taseer Ahmed, 30, from Talagang, were killed, the statement said.
