ISLAMABAD: In two tragic yet separate incidents occurring within a shortspan, armed extremist elements launched deadly attacks on law enforcementpersonnel in the Bajaur and Jamrud areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resultingin the martyrdom of two brave officers and injuries to several others.These assaults once again demonstrate the unrelenting danger posed byterrorist networks that continue to operate despite sustained military andintelligence operations across the province.
The first attack took place in the bustling Barah Mina Bazaar of the Mamondtehsil in Bajaur district. Constable Safor, son of Sabeel, serving with theCounter-Terrorism Department, came under direct and unprovoked fire fromunknown assailants while performing routine security duties. The constablesustained multiple gunshot wounds in the sudden assault. Despite immediatemedical evacuation to the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar, thevaliant officer succumbed to his critical injuries. Bajaur police respondedswiftly by sealing the entire market area and initiating a comprehensivecordon-and-search operation aimed at identifying and apprehending theperpetrators responsible for this targeted killing.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the attack bore hallmarks of adeliberate assassination attempt designed to intimidate law enforcementpersonnel engaged in counter-terrorism activities. Bajaur has witnessedseveral such targeted killings in recent months, primarily attributed tofactions seeking to destabilize the fragile peace achieved after years oflarge-scale military operations in the region. The martyrdom of ConstableSafor has evoked widespread grief among fellow officers and local residentsalike, who view him as yet another symbol of sacrifice in the prolongedstruggle against militancy.
In the second incident, security forces faced a more coordinated assault inthe Murad Dhand area of Malaguri, located within the Jamrud subdivision ofKhyber district. Personnel from the Frontier Corps and members of the localMalaguri Aman Lashkar came under sustained gunfire originating from astrategically elevated hill position. The attackers, identified duringinitial probes as Khawarij elements affiliated with the bannedTehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, opened indiscriminate fire on the joint patrol.One security official embraced martyrdom on the spot while two otherssustained serious injuries during the intense exchange.
The security forces immediately returned fire, forcing the militants toretreat. In the subsequent swift counter-operation conducted jointly byFrontier Corps troops and local lashkar members, two suspected militantswere successfully apprehended alive. Weapons, ammunition, and communicationdevices were recovered from their possession, providing valuable leads forongoing investigations. Intelligence officials have indicated that thearrested individuals are being thoroughly interrogated to uncover possiblelinkages with larger terrorist cells operating in the broader KhyberPakhtunkhwa region.
These back-to-back incidents have once more highlighted the persistentchallenge faced by Pakistani security institutions in restoring completenormalcy to the merged tribal districts. Despite significant progressachieved through Operation Zarb-e-Azb, Operation Radd-ul-Fasad, and themore recent Azm-e-Istehkam campaign, residual militant pockets continue toexploit geographical vulnerabilities and local grievances to launchsporadic attacks. The targeting of individual constables as well as jointpatrols reflects a strategic shift toward low-intensity, high-impactoperations intended to undermine public confidence in state authority.
Security analysts maintain that such attacks, while tragic, alsodemonstrate the increasing desperation of terrorist outfits whoseoperational capacity has been substantially degraded over the past decade.The successful apprehension of militants in the Malaguri incidentunderscores the improved coordination between regular forces andcommunity-based Aman Lashkars, a model that has proven effective in severalsouthern districts of the province.
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The provincial and federal governments have repeatedly affirmed theirunwavering resolve to eliminate the menace of terrorism from Pakistanisoil. In the aftermath of these incidents, senior military and civilofficials directed intensified intelligence-based operations and thedeployment of additional surveillance resources in vulnerable areas.Residents have been formally requested to share credible informationregarding suspicious movements, thereby strengthening the collectivedefense against extremist elements.
The sacrifices rendered by Constable Safor and the unnamed Frontier Corpspersonnel will be remembered as profound contributions to the nationalcause of peace and security. Their ultimate sacrifice reinforces thecommitment of thousands of officers who continue to stand guard, often inhostile terrain, so that ordinary citizens may live without fear. Asoperations to neutralize remaining threats gather momentum, the nationstands united in honoring its fallen heroes and supporting the tirelessefforts to achieve lasting stability.
Source: https://www.dawn.com
Tags: Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, TTP, Frontier Corps, Bajaur, Jamrud
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