Police patrol ambushed: Three policemen gunned down, TTP claims attack

HANGU:

Three police officers were killed when a police van was ambushed by militants near Kotkai on Hangu-Thall road on Thursday morning.

DIG Hangu Imtiaz Shah told journalists at the DPO’s office that the attack occurred around 9:32am. Unidentified militants hiding in a thicket opened fire at the van and killed the officers on the spot, he said. He added that militants opened fire at the vehicle a second time to ensure that no one remains alive.

Shah said that the van belonged to the Cobra police squad, which was hunting for suspect militants in the area.

After the incident a large number of police officers rushed to the site and shifted the bodies to the District Headquarters Hospital where they were identified as Mazhar Shah, Jehanzeb and Constable Tahir.

A search operation has been launched in the area and 13 suspects have been apprehended and shifted to the police station for interrogation.

At the funeral prayers, which were performed at the Hangu Police Line, DPO Mian Saeed Khan told journalists that the vehicle was completely destroyed in the attack.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. While speaking to journalists from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesperson Ihsanullah Ihsan warned of more such incidents in the district.

In the past year at least eight police officers have been gunned down by unidentified assailants during patrol in Ghal Mena, Mamoo Khwar checkpoint and Thall Road. Although the TTP has claimed to have carried out all the attacks, the police have so far failed to make any arrests.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 24^th, 2012.