Brazen assault: One killed in attack on Bannu police station

BANNU:

A man was killed and a police station partially destroyed when over a dozen heavily-armed militants attacked Howaid police station late Thursday night in Bannu.

The deceased was identified as Rasool Zaman, an Afghan citizen who lived close to the police station and got caught in the crossfire.

Bannu Headquarters DSP Sanaullah Khan Marwat told journalists on Friday over a dozen militants attacked the police station from three sides at midnight. “At first they fired rockets and then opened fire with assault rifles,” he said.

The DSP added police officials inside the station requested assistance, following which the Frontier Constabulary (FC) arrived and open retaliatory fire, forcing the assailants to flee.

“Zaman got caught in the crossfire and was severely injured. He succumbed to his injuries on the way to hospital,” DSP Marwat informed reporters.

According to the DSP, the shoot-out between police and militants continued for nearly 90 minutes. “The police station’s main gate along with the boundary wall was destroyed in the assault,” he said.

FC personnel and security forces launched a search operation in the surrounding area following the incident, but no arrests were made till this report was filed.  An FIR has been registered against unidentified militants and further investigation is underway.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2013.