Three policemen martyred in Shangla operation

MIRANSHAH/ SHANGLA:

Three police personnel were martyred and three terrorists killed in a fierce exchange of fire during a large-scale operation in the Shangla district, while a separate motorcycle bomb blast near a police station in Bannu claimed two lives, including a child, and left 14 others injured.

According to the Counter Terrorism Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the terrorists were eliminated during an independently led targeted operation in Shangla's Kabalgram area. Officials said the terrorists belonged to a network posing a serious threat to law enforcement agencies and strategic projects.

The intelligence-led operation was launched in coordination with local police after credible information confirmed the presence of an organised 'tashkeel' in various localities of Kabalgram, including high-value targets sheltering in natural cave complexes with active local facilitation.

Besides, the CTD Swat said in a press release, additional terrorists had positioned themselves inside the village to provide logistics and reinforcement, while earlier vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) attacks targeting Chinese nationals were traced back to the same network.

"Proximity of militant presence to KKH significantly elevates the threat level to Chinese projects and the strategic road corridor," the press release stated, adding that CTD teams made contact with the terrorists while advancing towards identified cave-based hideouts.

In the ensuing engagement, three terrorists were neutralised, including Noor Islam alias Salman alias Khog Bacha, a resident of Kabalgram and former member of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – officially dubbed as the Indian-proxy Fitna al-Khawarij.

The CTD said Khog Bacha was listed in its Red Book and carried head money of Rs5 million. One terrorist remains unidentified, while the third blew himself up during the operation.

After the initial clash, remaining terrorists manoeuvred beneath an overhanging cliff formation, rendering direct fire ineffective. They later launched rocket-propelled grenade attacks on CTD vehicles, followed by indiscriminate firing to provide escape cover for trapped terrorists.

Officials said the attack was repulsed through disciplined manoeuvring and a controlled response. However, three personnel - Maqbool Ahmad, Fida and Saeedur Rehman - embraced martyrdom, while one Elite Force official sustained injuries.

"Considering the difficult mountainous terrain, tactical disadvantage posed by cliff concealment and the risk of further reinforcements from the village, teams were directed to conduct a tactical pullback," the CTD said, adding that the area remains under surveillance and further intelligence-led action will follow.

Funeral prayers for the martyred police personnel were offered at the Alpuri police lines with full honours, attended by police officials, senior administrators and large numbers of citizens, who vowed that the sacrifices would not go in vain.

Separately, a motorcycle bomb exploded near a police station in the Maryan area of Bannu District, killing two people, including a child, and injuring 14 others. The blast occurred near shops located in front of the station, police sources said.

Rescue teams shifted the bodies and injured to the District Headquarters Hospital and Khalifa Gul Nawaz Hospital, where several victims were reported to be in critical condition. Police personnel remained unharmed in the explosion.

Security forces immediately cordoned off the site, launched a search operation and began collecting evidence. Investigations are under way, while police have yet to issue an official statement on the nature of the blast.