The killing of an elderly man and the injuring of his two relatives and a neighbour by terrorists sparked a fierce gun battle between the assailants and members of a local peace committee in the Begukhel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district late Monday night, according to police.

The incident reflects the escalating militant presence in Lakki Marwat, where attacks have become more frequent in recent months despite ongoing efforts by local peace committees to maintain order and resist terrorist influence.

“The incident happened last night in the Begukhel village. Members of the peace committee living there had deployed guards around the village for protection when militants decided to attack them. They used RPGs and other heavy artillery to attack, and in retaliation to the attack, the peace committee members also opened fire to resist.

“During the exchange of fire, one local lost his life while two others sustained injuries. The militants fled from the scene following the exchange. We have registered an FIR (first information report) against unknown assailants,” Shahid Marwat, spokesperson for Lakki Martwat Police, told Dawn.com.

A police handout said that the terrorists attacked the villagers near their house, killing Gul Badshah, 65 and injuring his brother Khan Badshah, 56, his son Naseer Khan, 25, and neighbour Munawar Khan, 58.

The attack sparked a fierce gunfight between the armed members of the peace committee and terrorists, which continued for one hour, the handout said.

Per the handout, an injured Naseer told police that the family had heard gunshots at midnight, which compelled them to step out of their houses.

“As soon as we stepped outside, armed men opened fire on us with light and heavy weapons from the eastern side,” he said, according to the handout.

He said that he, his father, uncle and another relative were injured in the attack.

The handout said that later, Naseer’s father succumbed to injuries.

“Members of the peace committee retaliated to the attack and an exchange of fire continued for nearly an hour, he was quoted as saying in the handout.

When the fire exchange stopped, the members of the peace committee took the dead and wounded to the hospital.

The complainant told police that around three dozen terrorists had come to the village to attack the members of the peace committee who used to guard the area at night.

The assailants, he said, also used rocket and grenade launchers, as a result of which the heaps of harvested wheat caught fire and were destroyed.

The complainant added that the main gate of the house was also damaged in the attack.

Police said they were investigating the incident after registering a case against unknown assailants under Sections 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 302 (premeditated murder), 324 (attempt to murder), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) and 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage etc.) of the Pakistan Penal Code, Section 5 of the Explosive Substance Act and Section 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Local elders reaffirmed on Sunday that residents would fight anti-peace elements side by side with police so as to effectively eradicate the menace of terrorism from the Lakki Marwat district.

They showed resolve during a meeting with district police officer Mohammad Jawad Ishaq held at Abbasa police post in Kurrum Par region.

The elders and police officials discussed matters pertaining to law and order and police actions against miscreants and criminal’ gangs.

Lakki Marwat has long been a hotspot for terrorism and violence, with unrest dating back to the early 2000s. While security operations brought a period of relative calm, militant activity has resurged in recent years, straining local peace efforts and heightening fears of renewed instability.