Three cops among four martyred in Bara blast

Civilians among multiple injured; two policemen gunned down in Peshawar

BARA:

Three policemen and a civilian embraced martyrdom after two suicide bombers exploded in Bara on Thursday, hours after two policemen were martyred in a shooting at their post in Peshawar.

According to the police, terrorists wearing police uniforms drove in a car to the Tehsil Offices Compound in Bara – in Khyber district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – and broke into the premises by cutting a barbed-wire fence.

As the intruders opened fire at the policemen on duty, two suicide attackers attempted to enter the premises through its main gate.

In retaliation, the security personnel present there open fire at the suicide attackers, killing both of them.

However, because of the firing from the security personnel, the explosives-laden vests of the suicide attackers exploded, which resulted in the collapse of a part of the building, the officials said.

The Rescue 1122 officials identified the martyred policemen as Bahadur Sher, Tayyab, and Muhammad Anwar. They also said that one body was retrieved from the rubble.

Nine policemen, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Hanif, ASI Anwar Khan, Police Constable (PC) Bakht Nawaz, PC Muhammad Jameel, Shamshad, Zubair, Abdul Hadi, Gulzeb, Muhammad Nawaz, sustained injuries.

Two civilians Muhammad Arshad and Waris Khan, who had come to the offices for some personal work, were also injured in the explosion. All the injured were shifted to a local hospital.

Rescue 1122 officials confirmed the martyrdom of three police officials; and injuries to 11 others, including nine policemen. They said that one of the policemen breathed his last during treatment at a local hospital.

The police said that the explosion occurred near the main gate of the compound, adding that two suicide attackers tried to enter the compound, but "timely action" by security personnel foiled the attack.

"Security personnel killed the attackers in immediate retaliation," a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity.

Inspector General (IG) of Police Akhtar Hayat Khan later said in a brief statement: "A major attack has been foiled."

The Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) stated that two suicide vests, containing “around 16 kilogrammes of explosives”, were used in the attack.

The BDU added that fragments of hand grenades were also recovered from the scene of the blast.

After the explosion, the Bara Bazaar was closed, while investigation into the incident got under way.

The area around the offices was cordoned off and the police started collecting evidence from the blast scene.

The explosion happened hours after two policemen embraced martyrdom and two others sustained injuries, when terrorists opened fired at a police check post in Regi Model Town overnight, police said.

According to the police, the policemen had set up a check post in the Regi Model Town, when unidentified armed men opened fire at the police personnel, causing critical injuries to four of them.

They added that the injured were shifted to the Khyber Teaching Hospital, where two police officials, Head Constable Wajid and driver Farman, succumbed to their injuries.

The injured were identified as Feroze and Sayarz.PM condemns attack
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has condemned the blast, expressing deep grief over the martyrdom of police officials.

He said the police personnel foil the nefarious intentions of the terrorists by risking their lives to.

“The personnel of the law enforcement agencies ensure the safety of the people by risking their lives,” he said. The PM said that he, along with the whole nation, “pay tributes to the brave troops of the Police”.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM OUR BARA CORRESPONDENT)