MIANWALI: Two terrorists were killed and one policeman was martyred in a militant attack on a patrolling post in the Kundal area of Pakistan’s Punjab province on Sunday, according to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar.
The altercation between law enforcement and the militants ensued when approximately 10 to 12 terrorists attacked a police checkpoint in the early hours of Sunday. A policeman, stationed atop a nearby building, managed to neutralize two terrorists, but a fellow officer was martyred during the exchange of gunfire.
IGP Anwar disclosed that the terrorists had launched their assault on the police checkpoint from two different directions. The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) units also joined forces to participate in the operation. Given the challenging hilly terrain and fading light, the operation against the terrorists was executed with utmost caution, as emphasized by the IGP.
The police had prior intelligence regarding the impending terrorist attack, with suspicions of foreign involvement in the recent surge of terrorism within the nation, as stated by IG Anwar. He further indicated that the identities of the terrorists would be ascertained within the next two to four hours.
Simultaneously, a spokesperson for the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) confirmed that two terrorists were killed during the ensuing search operation aimed at capturing any remaining suspects. The entire vicinity has been cordoned off to secure the area.
Over the past year, Pakistan has grappled with a series of terrorist attacks, particularly in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militants have targeted both security forces and civilians, disrupting peace in the regions.
Just recently, two separate suicide bombings in Mastung, Balochistan, and Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, resulted in numerous casualties. A report by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) released earlier this month highlighted a substantial increase in militant attacks across the country in August, recording 99 terror incidents. This marked the highest monthly figure since November 2014, with 112 fatalities and 87 injuries, primarily affecting security personnel and civilians.
Despite these challenges, security forces persist in conducting operations to eliminate militancy from the nation.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
