LAKKI MARWAT: A militant was killed in an intelligence-based operation in Marmandi Azeem area of Lakki Marwat district on Wednesday, the police said.

An official said that the operation was jointly launched by the police and Counter-Terrorism Department commandos on a tip-off about the presence of militants in the rural locality.

“We had credible reports that a terrorist, Rehan alias Muntizar, along with his associates, Waseem and Imran alias Ali, had come to area and were planning to attack police and security forces,” he claimed.

The official said that a large police contingent accompanied by CTD commandos and backed by armoured personnel carriers was dispatched to the area to foil the terrorists’ plan and ensure their arrest.

“When the police personnel reached near the hideout of the militants they came under attack,” he maintained.

The official said that retaliation by the police ensued a fierce gunfight, which continued for at least half an hour.

“When the exchange of fire stopped the law enforcers managed to enter the hideout and found the body of a militant, Waeem, lying there,” he added.

The official said that police seized arms and ammunition lying beside the body of the killed terrorist, while two terrorists, including Rehan, brother of the killed militant, and Imran managed to flee the area.

He said that the police launched a search in the area for the fleeing militants.

Meanwhile, a policeman embraced martyrdom in a gun attack by armed assailants in Naserkhel area of Bannu late on Tuesday night.

The police said that constable Mansoor Khan, 29, who was deployed at Ahmadzai police station in Wazir subdivision of Bannu district, had come to his village on leave. They said that the cop, his brother, Furhad Khan, and other friends were sitting inside a guestroom when three armed men came there and opened fire on Mansoor.

Furhad, who remained unhurt in the attack, told the police that the attack left the policeman dead on the spot, while assailants fled the place taking away the official rifle of the deceased with them.

He said that his family had no enmity with anyone and that unknown militants targeted his brother as he was employed in the police department.

The police said that they had registered a case against unknown assailants under relevant sections of law and began an investigation.

Published in Dawn, October 24th, 2024