DRO Bannu survives Taliban abduction bid

DRO Bannu Sajid Nawaz managed to escape, but his driver and guard are still missing.

PESHAWAR: Taliban militants attacked the vehicle of District Revenue Officer (DRO) Bannu Sajid Nawaz in a failed attempt to kidnap him on Kohat Road near Darwazgai area on the outskirts of Peshawar late on Tuesday night.

Nawaz was traveling from Bannu to Peshawar along with his driver and guard when they were attacked. A nearby police patrol though reached the spot in time and engaged the attackers. In the ensuing firefight, Nawaz managed to get away to the nearby Matani police post, but his driver and guard remain unaccounted for.

Talking to The Express Tribune, DSP Matani Fazal-e-Mula confirmed that militants and police had engaged in a fierce hour long gun battle in which their armored personnel carrier was hit by a militant anti-tank rocket. Fortunately, the DSP reported none of the police personnel were fatally wounded. He confirmed that DRO Nawaz was safe.

“There is a search operation going on in the area after the militants retreated towards the safety of Akka Khel, Khyber Agency. We cannot not confirm right now how many people have been kidnapped or taken away but some people are missing,” Fazal-e-Mula confirmed.

There were reports that several vehicles were found abandoned by the road side near the site of the gun battle but police said that the owners of these vehicles might have fled to save their lives in wake of the firefight rather than being targeted by the abductors.

“It is pitch dark out there we cannot confirm any of the reports, but yes vehicles are there with no trace of their owners. They could belong to passersbys caught in the crossfire,” a said policeman on the condition of anonymity.