Cop, civilian killed in DI Khan attack

Yet another policeman was killed and four others sustained injuries when unidentified militants attacked a police post in Dera Ismail Khan district of K-P on Saturday night.

One civilian was also killed in the attack.

Police told The Express Tribune that militants attacked a police outpost in the Daraban area of DI Khan last night in which Constable Hazrat Hussain, resident of South Wazirstan, was killed. The attackers snatched his official rifle before retreating in the darkness.

Four policemen were also injured in the assault. They have been identified as Constable Muhammad Bilal, Constable Bilal, Constable Nasarullah and Constable Naqeebullah. A civilian Naimatullah who worked for the K-P Wildlife Department was also killed in the attack.

“We were fast asleep when suddenly the sound of gunshots was heard. Militants opened fire at the post and threw hand grenades. Our men returned fire and after nearly half an hour the militants retreated,” said a police constable who was at the post.

He added that after the militants’ escape, we initiated search for our men and found one constable dead inside a hotel room nearby. His official AK-47 was missing.

A civilian was also found in another room of the hotel, he said, adding that four policemen deployed at the post were left injured. Both the bodies were sent for autopsy.

The last rites of the slain police constable were offered at DI Khan police lines with full guard of honour.

Later the body was sent to the deceased’s ancestral graveyard in Waziristan for burial. Soon after the attack a contingent of police and security forces was sent to the area which carried out a search operation.

“After the attack we called for reinforcement following which a police party reached for our help and one constable of that party was also injured in the exchange of fire with terrorists,” said another police official, adding that the attack was part of recent surge in militancy across K-P.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31^st, 2022.