Security forces bust suicide bombing network in KP

PESHAWAR: In a major achievement, the security forces busted a network involved in suicide attacks and other nefarious activities in the country during intelligence-based operations in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Geo News reported Saturday.

Afghan mobile SIM cards, drugs, and foreign currency were recovered from the terrorists’ possession, the media outlet reported, citing intelligence sources.

At least three policemen were martyred after a suicide bomber blew himself up on January 19 during an attack on a check post in the Takhta Beg area of Jamrud. Later, the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

After the forensic examination of bullet casings collected from the crime scene, CCTV footage, and the body parts, it was established that TTP’s terrorist Umar was behind the attack. Umar was facilitated by Satana Jan, a resident of Tehsil Jamrud of Khyber district. Then, the security forces launched an operation to arrest the suspects involved in the attack on the police check post.

During the operations, security forces nabbed two facilitators, Farmanullah and Abdul Qayyum, on January 23. The security forces on January 27 then arrested four more facilitators of terrorist, Fazl Amin, Fazl Ahmed, Mohammad Amir, and Hamadullah. Meanwhile, two Afghan nationals were also taken into custody during the operation.

During the initial interrogation, facilitator Fazal revealed that the suicide bomber was an Afghan national who was brought to Pakistan by Jan.

Jan provided the Afghan national with the suicide jacket and weapons for the attack. “He was running TTP’s North Waziristan chapter,” Fazal added. The suicide bomber was being facilitated from inside Afghanistan, he revealed.

Jan was using four houses as hideouts and for suicide attacks in the country, he added.

According to reports, the TTP regrouped in Afghanistan after the Taliban’s takeover, with Pakistan repeatedly asking the interim government in the neighbouring country to ensure that its soil isn’t used for terrorism. But the Taliban-led government has not been able to live up to the expectations.