Cop martyred as militants storm police post in Bajaur

KHAR: A cop was martyred when suspected militants stormed a police post in Haji Lawang Pul area in Khar, the headquarters of Bajaur tribal district, police officials said on Thursday.

They said that a group of militants, equipped with sophisticated light and heavy arms, attacked the Haji Lawang Pul Police Post in the dead of night.

They said that the police manning the post returned fire which continued for some time.

A cop identified as Head-constable Alamzeb Khan, a resident of Muslim Bagh, sustained multiple bullet injuries and embraced martyrdom on the spot.

Soon after the incident, the police rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to apprehend the perpetrators.

However, no arrest could be made till the filing of this report.

Meanwhile, Regional Police Officer Muhammad Ali Khan and District Police Officer Waqas Rafique visited the police post and later met with the family of the slain cop.

They offered fateha and assured the victim's family of every possible support.

It may be mentioned that a policeman had seriously injured and later embcared martyrdom at a hospital when suspected militants attacked three check-posts in Bannu and Swat districts on the Independence Day.

A check-post of security forces was attacked in the Bakkakhel area on the Miranshah-Bannu road in Bannu district.

It was learnt that a group of militants attacked the Takhtikhel check-post of security forces from the Marwat Canal and Bakkakhel area. The attack triggered an intense exchange of fire between the soldiers and militants.

The firing continued for half an hour, however, no loss of life was reported. The attackers fled the area after the attack.

The suspected militants had also attacked two check-posts in the Swat district. In the first attack, unidentified assailants had opened fire on the Tiligram Police Post. The cops deputed there returned the fire that forced the attackers to flee. The policemen remained safe in the attack.

The second attack was reported in Matta tehsil of the district where gunmen attacked a police post in the Sumbat area in which a cop Mushtaq Ahmad had sustained serious injuries and later embraced martyrdom.