Armed assaults: Three khasadars killed in militant attack

Sniper guns down security forces official in Orakzai.

JAMRUD/ HANGU: Three khasadar officials were killed on Thursday when militants attacked a check post in Khyber Agency, while an official of the security forces was shot dead at a check post in Orakzai Agency.

According to Jamrud Assistant Political Agent (APA) Roshan Khan Mehsud, four militants riding motorcycles attacked a khasadar check post on Jamrud Bypass Road at 11am.

“The militants approached khasadar officials on duty and opened fire, killing three officials and injuring two passers-by,” said Mehsud.

The APA added the assailants escaped, while the bodies were taken to Civil Hospital Jamrud for autopsies. The injured pedestrians Hashmat Khan and Muhammad Nisar were shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex.

The deceased were identified as Anar Gul, Haroon and Abdul Wali. Their bodies were sent to the respective hometowns for burial, after levies and khasadars jointly paid tribute to them in Jamrud.

Another pedestrian who narrowly escaped the militant attack said the khasadar officials were busy with their cell phones when the militants approached and opened fire.

Jamrud levies and khasadar officials launched a search operation in the area following the incident, however, no one was arrested till the filing of this report.

Meanwhile, a bullet-riddled body was found in Shahkas, Jamrud. A passer-by spotted the body and informed the political administration, following which khasadars rushed to the site and shifted it to Jamrud Hospital. APA Mehsud said the deceased, later identified as Hikmatyar Khan, went missing around 40 days ago from his house in Shahkas.

“Khan’s body bore marks of severe torture and most of his bones had been fractured,” said Mehsud, adding the body was handed over to the deceased’s family and a case was filed against unidentified killers.

Security official shot dead

An official of the security forces was killed when an unidentified sniper shot at him inside a check post in Orakzai Agency.

A security forces official said the incident occurred at noon. “A militant sniper fired at a security official who was on duty inside a check post in Mashti Mela area,” he added. Other officials opened retaliatory fire in the general direction of the sniper.

The body of the deceased official identified as Maghab Khan was shifted to Combined Military Hospital Kohat.

The official added a search operation was launched in the area, however, no one was arrested. 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2014.