ISLAMABAD: At least four policemen were martyred and two others sustained critical injuries when terrorists ambushed a police patrol in the Bajaur district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, official sources confirmed.
The attack took place in the Nawagai Kalay area of Khar tehsil, police said. The gunmen targeted the Ababeel Squad, an elite police unit, while they were conducting routine security patrols during the holy month of Ramadan. All four officers succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
Rescue teams and police immediately rushed to the site. The bodies of the martyred personnel and the injured officers were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Khar, where the wounded are currently receiving medical treatment.
Police officials stated that the squad had been operating under heightened vigilance due to Ramadan when the assailants opened fire and managed to flee the scene.
A large-scale search operation has since been launched in the surrounding areas to trace and apprehend the attackers.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the assault.
In the wake of the incident, security forces have intensified patrols across Bajaur.
Investigators are working to determine the circumstances and motive behind the targeted attack, which underscores the ongoing security challenges faced by law enforcement in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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On Monday, three personnel of the Federal Constabulary were killed when terrorists launched an attack on rescue teams in Karak District.
Last week, a terrorist assault using an explosive-laden vehicle on a checkpost in Bajaur District resulted in the deaths of 11 security personnel.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in cross-border terror attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to take action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.
However, the Taliban regime failed to take any action against terror groups and prevent Afghan soil from being used against Pakistan.
