PESHAWAR: A militant attack on a police patrol in Pakistan’s northwestern district of Bannu killed a police officer and wounded three others on Saturday, police said, highlighting persistent security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
Bannu, located near North Waziristan and close to the Afghan border, has long been a volatile area due to militant activity.
No group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, though the Pakistani Taliban, or the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have frequently carried out similar assaults in the region.
“Assistant Sub-Inspector Dil Nawaz Khan was martyred in the assault,” the police said in a statement. “The police team was conducting a routine patrol when it was ambushed by militants.”
Police said the patrol team responded immediately after coming under fire, leading to an exchange that left two militants dead and four others wounded.
KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the incident and sought a report from the provincial police chief.
“The martyrdom of a police officer and injuries to others in the incident are deeply regrettable,” he said, according to a statement circulated by his office after the incident.
“The provincial government stands in full solidarity with the family of the martyred police officer,” he added.
The chief minister directed authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and said such attacks would not weaken the resolve of security forces.
“Cowardly acts of terrorists cannot dampen our morale,” he added.
