Two policemen and a civilian were martyred after terrorists launched a gun attack on a police checkpoint in Khyber district’s Charwazagai area, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police reported.
District Police Officer (DPO) Saleem Abbas told Geo News that terrorists attacked the police checkpoint at the Pak-Afghan highway near the Landi Kotal Bazar. Among the martyred was Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Alamzeb. One policeman and a civilian were also injured in the attack.
According to the police, the civilians martyred and injured in the attack were passersby. The victims were initially rushed to the Landi Kotal Hospital for immediate medical assistance but were later shifted to the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar due to their critical condition.
The police station attacked by the terrorists was established on the Pak-Afghan highway, three kilometers from the Landi Kotal Bazar. In response, security was placed on high alert throughout the district.
This attack on police personnel comes at a time when Pakistan, particularly its KP and Balochistan provinces, has been witnessing a surge in terror activities over the past few months.
During the second quarter of 2024, the country encountered 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries, which included casualties of civilians, security personnel, and outlaws as a result of 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations, according to a Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report.
KP and Balochistan, both of which share borders with neighboring Afghanistan, have faced the brunt of terrorist attacks, reporting nearly 92% of all fatalities and 87% of attacks. KP suffered 67% and Balochistan 25% of all fatalities in the second quarter of 2024.
In an effort to cope with rising terrorism, including cross-border infiltration, the federal government last month approved launching a strategic campaign “Azm-e-Istehkam”, a renewed national anti-terror drive as part of the National Action Plan.
