Militant attack: Four lashkar members killed along with assailant
Slain militiamen were all relatives; lashkar chief says late police response cost lives.
A militant attacked police constable and lashkar member Zafar Khan with a grenade and snatched his AK-47. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Four members of an aman lashkar from one family were killed along with a suspected militant in an exchange of fire in Garhi Mali Khel area, in the jurisdiction of Badhaber police on Saturday evening.
A member of the Masho Khel Aman Lashkar and community police constable, Zafar Khan, was sent to inspect the site of a roadside blast on Mushtarzai Road in Badhaber. On his return, militants attacked him with a hand grenade, leaving him severely injured. One of the attackers snatched Khan’s AK-47 and tried to flee towards Akka Khel, Khyber Agency, but the injured constable called his brother Mukhtair to prevent him from escaping.
Mukthair and his son tried to catch the fleeing men but both were killed as the militant responded with gunfireand took cover in a sugarcane field. Around 25 lashkar members then reached the area and surrounded the field, with the militant hiding inside.
Khan, in an injured state, entered the field to nab the militant with the help of his other brother Kusar Khan, but both were shot dead by the gunman.
Police reached the site after around an hour of the encounter and army officials were also called in to help.
The head of Masho Khel Aman Lashkar, Israr Ali, told The Express Tribune police commandos killed the militant after entering the field in an armoured car.
“The terrorist who was hiding in the fields has been killed but unfortunately four lashkar members have [also] been killed.” He said police did not respond to their distress call in time and they lost four precious lives as a result.
“We are not well-equipped and the attackers took complete advantage of it. The local SHO did not respond quickly and is partly responsible for these deaths,” said a lashkar member requesting anonymity.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2014.
Four members of an aman lashkar from one family were killed along with a suspected militant in an exchange of fire in Garhi Mali Khel area, in the jurisdiction of Badhaber police on Saturday evening.
A member of the Masho Khel Aman Lashkar and community police constable, Zafar Khan, was sent to inspect the site of a roadside blast on Mushtarzai Road in Badhaber. On his return, militants attacked him with a hand grenade, leaving him severely injured. One of the attackers snatched Khan’s AK-47 and tried to flee towards Akka Khel, Khyber Agency, but the injured constable called his brother Mukhtair to prevent him from escaping.
Mukthair and his son tried to catch the fleeing men but both were killed as the militant responded with gunfireand took cover in a sugarcane field. Around 25 lashkar members then reached the area and surrounded the field, with the militant hiding inside.
Khan, in an injured state, entered the field to nab the militant with the help of his other brother Kusar Khan, but both were shot dead by the gunman.
Police reached the site after around an hour of the encounter and army officials were also called in to help.
The head of Masho Khel Aman Lashkar, Israr Ali, told The Express Tribune police commandos killed the militant after entering the field in an armoured car.
“The terrorist who was hiding in the fields has been killed but unfortunately four lashkar members have [also] been killed.” He said police did not respond to their distress call in time and they lost four precious lives as a result.
“We are not well-equipped and the attackers took complete advantage of it. The local SHO did not respond quickly and is partly responsible for these deaths,” said a lashkar member requesting anonymity.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2014.