• Sources say TTP, Gul Bahadur group joined forces to launch deadly onslaught
• PM praises military for anti-terrorism operations, pays tribute to fallen soldiers
• Civilian slain, six including three cops injured in two attacks in Bannu

KHYBER: At least three security personnel were martyred and a dozen others were injured in a series of militant attacks on several security posts in Khyber district early Friday morning.

The assaults took place as security forces attempted to intercept militants infiltrating the Rajgal Valley from Afghanistan.

Sources said this was the first time that the banned Gul Bahadur group and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pak­istan (TTP) jointly carried out atta­cks in the region, expanding their operations beyond their usual strongholds in Bannu, Lakki Mar­wat and Karak to the Khyber district.

Confirming the martyrdom of three soldiers, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that four militants were also killed.

ISPR identified the three soldiers, including Havildar Inam Gul, 37, resident of Mianwali district; Sepoy Muhammad Imran, 29, resident of Tank district; and Sepoy Iltaf Khan, 22, resident of Mardan district.

Local sources, however, put the death toll higher, with some accounts saying that up to six security men had laid down their lives on Friday.

The Prime Minister’s Office said PM Shehbaz Sharif lauded the officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army for their “successful operation against terrorists” in the Tirah Valley.

The premier commended the military’s efforts in cleansing Pakistan’s soil of the menace of terrorism, describing it as a critical mission to rid the nation of extremist threats. He paid tribute to the soldiers who laid down their lives during the operation.

Friday’s attacks came days after the government labelled the outlawed TTP as Fitna al Khawarij and proscribed two more outfits, Majeed Brigade and Gul Bahadur group, taking the total number of banned organisations to 81.

Local sources described an intense gun battle between security forces and militants, with heavy weaponry being used.

The Gul Bahadur group claimed responsibility for the assault on the Zangi check-post near Bagh Markaz in Tirah, marking their first major attack outside North Waziristan and Bannu. In a statement, the group also claimed to have destroyed an armoured personnel carrier (APC) and an excavator with a landmine planted on the road leading to the checkpost.

The claims could not be independently verified. Residents said they heard heavy gunfire but remained indoors due to safety concerns. Some artillery shells reportedly landed near private homes, but no casualties or property damage were reported.

Zarin Khan, a resident of the area, told Dawn by phone that Bagh Markaz, the local market, was open on Friday morning, with shops operating as usual and transport running normally. He observed no unusual movement of security forces despite the militant attack.

Residents in the region said that the crossfire continued for over three hours, leaving them terrified and confined to their homes until the firing ceased. Initially, the sound of intense gunfire was heard in the nearby mountains before reaching the Bagh Markaz area.

Bannu attacks

Meanwhile, a civilian lost his life and six others, including three police personnel, were injured in two separate militant attacks in Bannu district.

In one incident, a police patrol came under fire near the Nurar area within the Miryan police station’s jurisdiction. The SHO of the police station, Khalid Khan, was among the injured.

A civilian, identified as Shakir Khan, was fatally shot and died on the spot. Two police officers — Sabir and Hasan — and two other civilians were also injured in the attack.

In a separate incident late Thursday night, a police constable was injured during an armed attack on a police post in the Kheraki Mamakhel area under the jurisdiction of the Haved police station. A police official said the assailants attacked the post with advanced weaponry, but the police responded quickly and effectively.

Constable Ajmal, who was injured in the exchange, was taken to the district headquarters hospital, where his condition was reported to be stable.

District Police Officer (DPO) Ziauddin Ahmed visited the post and praised the cops for their bravery in repelling the militants. He stated that the prompt and effective response of the police forced the assailants to retreat.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2024