DERA ISMAIL KHAN/PESHAWAR: Seven policemen were martyred and 13 others injured, while eight militants were killed in two separate encounters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said on Saturday.
According to senior police officials, the first encounter took place in Dera Ismail Khan district’s Ratta Kulachi area when militants stormed the Police Training School (PTS) late Friday night.
They said the attackers, belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the school’s main gate, causing a powerful explosion that brought down a section of the boundary wall. Heavily armed militants, wearing mixed uniforms, then entered the premises and opened indiscriminate fire.
Two policemen were martyred on the spot, while another on-duty officer, who fought bravely, was martyred after being targeted with hand grenades. The attack, which lasted about five hours, was jointly repelled by police and security forces.
Regional Police Officer Syed Ashfaq Anwar and District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmad Sahibzada reached the site with heavy reinforcements and took command of the operation.
The joint operation continued for more than five hours, during which six militants were killed. Security personnel recovered suicide vests, explosive material, and automatic weapons from their possession.
At the time of the attack, around 200 trainees, instructors and staff members were present inside the training school. All were safely evacuated, preventing what authorities described as a potential large-scale tragedy.
The martyred policemen were identified as Constable Mudassir, recruits Jalal, Daniyal, Anwar and Farmanullah, Head Constable Shafqat Mahmood and cook Asmatullah.
Several of the wounded were in critical condition and were shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital.
During the assault, the militants also set fire to a nearby Nadra office, destroying the building and damaging official records and property.
A statement issued by ISPR, the military’s media wing, said the militants attempted to breach the perimeter security, which was swiftly foiled by the vigilant response of law enforcement personnel. It said police engaged the intruders, eliminating three militants and cornering the remaining two in a building complex, who were later neutralised by security forces in a clearance operation.
“In this intense exchange of fire, six brave policemen, including trainees, after putting up a heroic fight, embraced Shahadat in the line of duty,” the statement read.
The ISPR further said that the militants attacked the mosque inside the school complex, desecrated the holy place of worship, and barbarically killed the prayer leader — an innocent civilian performing his duties as the imam of the school mosque.
“The sanitisation operations in the area will continue, and the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act will be brought to justice,” the statement added.
It said security forces and law enforcement agencies, along with the nation, remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate “Indian-sponsored militancy” from the country, and such sacrifices of brave soldiers and civilians further strengthen their commitment to safeguarding the nation at all costs.
Peshawar encounter
Meanwhile, police gunned down two militants, including a local commander identified as Ilyas, when they tried to attack the Hassan Khel police station in the Hassan Khel Sub-Division, formerly Frontier Region Peshawar, located about 40km south of the provincial capital.
According to Sadar Division Superintendent Raza Mohammad Khan, police detected the militants’ movement as they tried to climb a mound near the police station. The personnel immediately alerted officers inside the station and informed senior officials.
Mr Khan said he called nearby station house officers and, with fresh contingents, moved towards Hassan Khel. The exchange of fire lasted for almost two hours.
“They [militants] were 10 to 12 and made this attempt in broad daylight, around 11am. They lost two of their associates, leaving behind their bodies while the others escaped,” he said. “One body, sources believe, was that of local commander Ilyas, while the other is being identified.” He added that the bodies were recovered during a subsequent clearance operation.
Funeral prayers
The funeral prayers for the martyred policemen were held at the Dera Ismail Khan Police Lines on Saturday morning. Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, IGP Zulfiqar Hameed, senior civil and military officials, and a large number of people attended.
Mr Gandapur praised the courage of the fallen policemen and announced financial assistance of Rs10 million for each martyred officer’s family and Rs5m for each injured officer. In addition, Rs1m was announced as a special reward for every officer who displayed exceptional bravery during the operation.
Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also condemned the attack and appreciated the professionalism and bravery of the Dera police and security personnel.
