Bannu Checkpost Attack Foiled, Four Killed
Police foiled the Bannu checkpost attack on Friday night, killing four terrorists and seizing a cache of weapons, Dawn reported on Saturday. The attackers struck the Kingar Pul checkpost around midnight, but personnel at the post held their ground and drove them back.
Heavily armed terrorists launched a sudden attack on the checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, a police spokesperson said. “Police personnel deployed at the checkpost responded promptly and successfully repelled the assault,” he said. The Rapid Response Force and extra personnel from Police Lines rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area and launched a clearance and search operation.
During the operation, police recovered the bodies of four terrorists, along with four Kalashnikov rifles, several magazines, a large quantity of ammunition, hand grenades and bandoliers. The identification of the dead men was under way, the spokesperson said.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed commended Bannu Police for foiling the attack. He said repelling the assault under the cover of darkness reflected the high level of training, vigilance and bravery of the personnel. He said the attackers belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, the term the state uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also praised the KP police and the Counter Terrorism Department, The Express Tribune reported. “I am proud of the brave personnel of the KP police and the CTD,” he said, commending their professional capabilities and determination. He praised their efforts to maintain peace in the province.
Bannu checkpost attack follows day of operations
The Bannu attack came a day after the military said security forces had killed 74 terrorists in intelligence-based operations in KP and Balochistan over the previous 48 hours. Forty-three fighters of Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in Mir Ali and Orakzai in KP, and 31 were killed in Balochistan.
It was the second attack on a police post in the region in three days. Two days earlier, terrorists rammed an explosives-laden pickup into the main gate of Bandkorai Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan, setting off a blast followed by intense gunfire. Police fire stopped the attackers from entering the station, and they fled.
On the same day, two policemen, including an assistant sub-inspector, were martyred in Swabi when three suspects opened fire on a patrolling party. Two soldiers were also martyred and 16 terrorists killed in an operation in North Waziristan this week, as security forces pressed operations on both sides of the province.
The Quick Response Force joined the Rapid Response Force and extra personnel from Police Lines at the scene, and the area was cordoned off before the clearance operation began. IG Hameed said effective operations were under way under a comprehensive strategy to eliminate terrorism and rid the province of the menace. He added that people stood alongside their protectors. “Protecting the lives and property of the public remains the top priority of the police,” he said. The Kohat police attack in which 10 policemen were martyred drew condemnation from the president and prime minister earlier this week, and local support for militants remains the focus of the counterterrorism debate in the province.
Frequently asked questions
What happened at the Kingar Pul checkpost?
Heavily armed terrorists attacked the checkpost in Bannu around midnight on Friday. Police repelled the assault and killed four attackers in the clearance operation that followed.
What weapons were recovered?
Police seized four Kalashnikov rifles, several magazines, a large quantity of ammunition, hand grenades and bandoliers. The identification of the dead terrorists was under way.
Who praised the police response?
KP Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed commended Bannu Police, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the KP police and the Counter Terrorism Department.
Who were the attackers?
IG Hameed said the attackers belonged to Fitna al-Khawarij, the term the state uses for terrorists of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Was this part of a wider pattern?
The attack came a day after security forces killed 74 terrorists in operations in KP and Balochistan, and two days after an attack on Bandkorai Police Station in Dera Ismail Khan.
