FC fends off terror attack on Peshawar HQ

Three personnel martyred in suicide blast Two terrorists shot dead in fierce gunfight All attackers identified a

PESHAWAR:

The Federal Constabulary (FC) soldiers fought off multiple assailants, including a suicide bomber, attempting to storm their headquarters in Peshawar on Monday during a morning parade, police and other security officials said.

The coordinated suicide attack claimed the lives of three paramilitary soldiers and left 11 others injured, including seven civilians. Officials said that along with the suicide bomber, two terrorists trying to force their way into the compound were eliminated in a fierce gunfight.

The assault began at 8:11am when a suicide bomber arrived on foot and detonated himself at the main gate of the compound on Sunehri Masjid Road in the Saddar area. The blast triggered gunfire as moved forward in an apparent attempt to enter the premises.

According to security officials, the attackers were intercepted by FC personnel who engaged them immediately, preventing a potentially catastrophic assault on the parade. Eyewitnesses also reported hearing a powerful blast followed by intense gunfire.

Witness Bilal Ahmed, a hospital employee, said he was on his way to work when he heard a "large blast" from the border force facility, located on one of the city's busiest routes and across the street from a shopping mall.

Officials said the attackers had reached the headquarters on foot wearing explosive jackets, suggesting the assault was planned to inflict maximum casualties during a parade attended by nearly 450 personnel inside the compound.

The martyred FC personnel were identified as Havaldar Alam Zeb Khan, Constable Riyaz Khan and Constable Altaf Khan. A security official told The Express Tribune that all three were martyred in the blast at the gate.

The injured included Lance Naik Zahir, Constable Arshad, Constable Riyaz Khan, Constable Attaullah, Constable Irfan Khan and passer-by Amjad Khan. All were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital, where their condition was described as stable.

"The FC personnel displayed exceptional bravery in confronting the attackers," Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Dr Mian Saeed said. "One assailant detonated explosives at around 8:10am, just before rush hour, killing three FC personnel deployed at the gate," Saeed added.

He confirmed that police reached the site immediately and sealed access to Cantt Road and the surrounding localities. "The road has been cordoned off by the army, police and security personnel," Safdar Khan, a resident of the area, told Reuters.

Initial investigations revealed that all three dead militants were Afghan nationals. Weapons and explosives recovered from their bodies, along with evidence collected from the scene, have been sent for analysis as police launch full investigation into the planning and execution of the attack.

"Initial findings indicated that the first bomber tried to enter the headquarters from the Saddar side but was stopped by barriers and security measures in place, while his accomplices faced resistance at the gate and were unable to advance beyond the perimeter," an official said.

"The attack has concluded, and a clearance operation is under way to determine whether any unexploded ordnance is present," Zulfiqar Hameed, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police inspector general (IG), later told AFP.

Later in the day, funeral prayers for the martyred FC personnel were offered at the FC headquarters, attended by K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the Peshawar Corps Commander, the Inspector General of Police and large number of military and civil officials.

They paid tribute to the fallen soldiers and offered condolences to their families. The bodies of the martyred personnel were later transported to their native towns, where they were laid to rest with full military honours.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, praising the "timely action" of security forces for averting greater loss of life. "We will thwart the evil designs of terrorists who attack Pakistan's integrity," Shehbaz said.

(WITH INPUT FROM APP & REUTERS)