Crackdown: Two suspected militants killed in Swabi

Deceased were involved in kiling of polio district coordinator

SWABI: At least two suspected militants were killed while a policeman was injured in Swabi on Saturday.

A police official told The Express Tribune police and other law-enforcement agencies carried out a search operation within the jurisdiction of Topi police station.

“We received an intelligence tip-off about their whereabouts,” he said. “We decided to conduct a raid.”

According to the police official, the suspected militants opened fire on officials of the police and other law-enforcement agencies.

“The officials responded with retaliatory fire,” he said. “As a result, two suspected militants were killed on the spot. Meanwhile, a police constable was injured.”

The constable has been identified as Hammad.

As per the official, the militants were identified as Hussain and Bilal.

“The accused were involved in various cases of terrorism and murder,” he said.

He added both the militants were involved in the murder of Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) Head Dr Muhammad Yaqoob.

“They were also involved in the murder of police constable Imtiaz Khan and others,” the official said. Police also seized two Kalashnikovs, three hand grenades and two pistols from their possession.

Yaqoob, a polio district coordinator in Swabi, was shot dead on November 30, 2015. The incident occurred when he was on his way to his office in Bacha Khan Medical Complex.

He died on the spot and his driver was critically injured. The driver was shifted to Bacha Khan Medical Complex. No group claimed responsibility for the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2016.