Suicide attack on FC mosque foiled in Mohmand Agency

Two FC men martyred, four terrorists killed

GHALLANAI: Four suicide bombers and two soldiers of the Frontier Corps (FC) were killed and 15 others sustained injuries when the security forces thwarted a suicide attack on the mosque of the headquarters of the paramilitary Mohmand Rifles here early Saturday, official sources said.

The outlawed militant group, Jamaatul Ahrar, based in neighbouring Afghanistan, claimed responsibility for the audacious attack that began at 6am. Its spokesman quickly called reporters in the Mohmand Agency to make the claim.

It was learnt that the suicide bombers wanted to hit the early morning Fajr prayers at the mosque located in the Mohmand Rifles headquarters in Ghallanai, the main town of Mohmand Agency, to cause maximum number of casualties, but the soldiers quickly engaged them. It triggered a heavy exchange of fire that lasted 40 minutes in which the four attackers were killed.

Army sources said two of them were shot dead and the remaining two blew themselves up. Two FC soldiers were martyred in the clash and 15 others were wounded. The soldiers later cleared the camp.

The Pakistan Army’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the attackers wearing suicide jackets were contained in the outer courtyard of the mosque located in the residential area when they tried to enter the mosque where a large number of recruits were present. It said the soldiers surrounded the attackers and killed all of them.

Ten of the injured were provided treatment at the headquarters of the Mohmand Rifles while the critically wounded soldiers were taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Peshawar by helicopter.

Corps Commander, Peshawar, Lt General Hidayat Ur Rehman, and Inspector General of the Frontier Corps (IGFC), Major General Shaheen Mazhar Mehmood, visited the site of the attack in Ghallanai.

Mahmood Aslam Wazir, the political agent of Mohmand Agency, and Mohmand Rifles Commandant Hafiz Asif Iqbal briefed the corps commander and the IGFC about the security situation.

Security was beefed up throughout the Mohmand Agency following the attack. Security forces also launched a search operation in Ghallanai and its adjoining areas. Schools were also closed while a curfew was enforced in the Ghallanai bazaar, Lakaro bazaar, Sheikh Baba in Safi tehsil.