Two cops guarding judges martyred

As many law enforcers seriously wounded in convoy ambush

DI KHAN:

Two policemen were killed and as many seriously wounded in a gun attack that is suspected to have been carried out by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Paksitan on DI Khan Road at Baghwal in Tank district on Friday.

The convoy had three judges of Tank district in its midst, including Tank District Dudge Hassnain, and South Additional Senior Sessions Judge Mah Jaabin.

The vehicles were headed toward DI Khan when militants ambushed the convoy, resulting in the death of two police constables identified as Abdullah and Samad. Two other cops also sustained injuries in the brazen assault. The judges escaped unharmed, but all the vehicles that were part of the convoy suffered damage, the police said.

The bodies of the deceased were shifted to the local hospital for an autopsy, while the wounded were taken to the district headquarters for the necessary treatment.

Security forces and police conducted search operations in the area for militants, but the assailants managed to flee after the attacks.

The law and order situation remains volatile in the southern districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as locals say police have restricted themselves to their buildings and there is no patrolling taking place during the night time.

The TTP has upped the offensive in the southern districts of the province with the most prominent attack being on the army cantonment in the Bannu. At least eight soldiers were martyred in the assault. The attack was carried out during the early hours of July 16, a military statement at the time said..

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attackers attempted to infiltrate the cantonment but were repelled, prompting them to detonate an explosive-laden vehicle against the perimeter wall.

The statement said that the suicide blast led to the collapse of a portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight soldiers.

A United Nations Security Council report has highlighted the severe threat to Pakistan's security from the TTP, noting increased collaboration between them and the Afghan Taliban in cross-border terrorist attacks, primarily targeting Pakistani military posts.

“With Taliban acquiescence, and at times support, TTP has intensified attacks inside Pakistan primarily targeting military installations,” said the report from the Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL (Da’ish), Al-Qaeda and associate groups. The report noted that Pakistan suffered more than 800 attacks in the past several months.

“TTP camps with Al-Qaeda and Taliban involvement focus on training local Afghan fighters and TTP operatives,” it said, adding that the TTP has between 6,000 and 6,500 fighters who continue to use NATO weapons obtained in Afghanistan. The report also emphasised the role of night vision capability. “Al-Qaeda is funding purchases of weapons and suicide vests for TTP,” it added.

“The terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan is causing heightened concern in many (UN) member states,” the report said.