Police officer martyred, two injured in rocket attack on police vehicle in Bannu

One police constable was martyred and two police personnel were injured on Friday when terrorists targeted a police vehicle in a rocket attack at Kangar Jan Bahadur in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu, according to police.

According to Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi, "the incident occurred when a police vehicle from the Fateh Khel checkpoint came under rocket attack while personnel were returning to Police Lines".

Constable (driver) Raza Ali Shah was martyred in the attack, while two others sustained injuries and were shifted to DHQ Hospital for treatment.

Afridi said the attack was followed by intense firing and explosions, prompting the closure of Miryan Road to traffic. Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search and combing operation.

Later, the funeral prayer of martyred constable Raza Ali Shah was offered with full official honours at Iqbal Shaheed Police Lines, attended by senior civil and military officials, police officers, and family members. A guard of honour was presented, and floral wreaths were laid on the coffin.

Read: Four terrorists killed, one police officer martyred in separate IBOs in K-P

Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Bannu region, Sajjad Khan, and DPO Afridi paid tribute to the martyred officer, stating that Raza Ali Shah was a dedicated and brave officer who sacrificed his life for peace and stability in the country. They reiterated that operations against terrorism would continue until it is completely eradicated.

K-P has been battling terrorism since the United States' ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and personnel.

On April 20, a police constable was martyred in the Akhundan forest civil camp area near the Bannu border during a Counter Terrorism Department intelligence-based operation.

On April 6, two police personnel and a security guard were martyred in separate firing incidents in Bannu. The first attack occurred outside a National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) office in the Baka Khel area, where gunmen opened fire on security staff. Two officers, Constable Rafiullah and security guard Gul Shah Noor, were killed at the scene.

In a separate incident near the Miryan Kinger police station, another police constable, Sher Muhammad, was shot dead by unidentified gunmen.

The province has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Out of a total of 5,397 reported incidents last year, K-P recorded 3,811, followed by Balochistan with 1,557 incidents. Only 29 incidents were reported from the rest of the country. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year.