- File Photo

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A policeman and an attacker were killed in exchange of fire in Dera Ismail Khan city here on Saturday, sources said.

They said that two other accomplices of the assailants managed to escape. Eyewitnesses said that three attackers riding a motorcycle opened firing on a police constable, Jehangir, on Grid Station Road when he was going home.

He was killed on the spot, they said, adding the constable was wearing plainclothes when he was attacked. The attackers, armed with hand grenades, were challenged by two personnel of the rider squad of police. The law enforcers exchanged fire with the attackers.

The attackers entered a private university building when they were trying to escape from the area. An attacker was killed at the gate of the university while his two others accomplices disappeared in the building.

Police and army contingents encircled the building and started a search operation. Security forces also recovered three hand grenades and one Kalashnikov from the dead attacker.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers also hurled three hand grenades at the rider squad officials, however, no one was hurt.

The exchange of fire between the attackers and police continued for almost two hours. The search operation was in progress till filing of this report.

In Kohat, a security man was injured in an encounter during a search operation in Jawaki area of the frontier region on Saturday.

Security forces claimed that several militants were killed in the encounter. However, independent sources didn’t confirm the claim of security forces.

Sources said that security forces came face to face with militants during a search operation in the area that led to a gun battle between them.

A security man was injured in the encounter and he was admitted to Combined Military Hospital in Kohat for treatment.

FR Kohat, which also includes Darra Adamkhel, has been in the control of security forces for the last five years. Taliban had enforced their own style Sharia before in the area before military operation against them.

In another incident, the house of an army officer was damaged when a remote controlled bomb went off in Mir Qadeem Colony on Bannu Road in Kohat on Saturday.

The boundary wall, a car, a rickshaw and the main gate of the house were partially damaged in the blast, sources said. The inmates remained unhurt in the incident.

The bomb disposal squad reached the scene soon after the morning prayers and cordoned off the whole area. The team said that five kilograms of highly explosive material had been used in the blast.

The explosives and the time device had been packed in a ghee canister, which was placed at the main gate of the house.

Police registered a case on the complaint of the brother of the retired army officer, Brig (retired) Asad Gul and launched investigation.

In Khyber Agency, a security man was injured when unidentified militants attacked a checkpost in Bara on Saturday.

Officials said that scores of armed militants attacked a checkpost in Nala-Malikdinkhel area late in the evening that resulted in injuries to an FC man Sajid Khan and partial damage to the post.

Forces in retaliation fired at the militants, who made good their escape in the darkness.

In Qanbarkhel locality of Bara, militants demolished the house of a tribal elder Mian Khan.

Local sources said that militants took along the door, windows and other belongings before dynamiting the empty house.

Family of Mian Khan had vacated the house some time ago after receiving threats from militants.

in Landi Kotal, security forces defused two explosive devices planted by unidentified militants near a populated locality.