Was a Police Vehicle Targeted Near an Afghan Refugee Camp in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Police vehicle ambushed near Afghan refugee camp.
- No casualties reported in the incident.
- Authorities have evacuated the camp due to security concerns.
- Search operations are underway for the assailants.
- Militant activities are on the rise in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Islamabad, Dec 21 (NationPress) A police vehicle came under fire from attackers near an Afghan refugee camp situated on Kohat Road in Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. This incident prompted local authorities to initiate the evacuation of the camp for security reasons, as reported by media outlets on Sunday.
According to police, the ambush occurred while Deputy Superintendent of Police Mufeez Khan was en route from Township to Domel. Officials indicated that the assailants, who were concealed near the camp, launched a surprise attack on his vehicle. In retaliation, police personnel returned fire, but the attackers managed to escape the scene.
No injuries were reported, although the police vehicle sustained some damage. Following the incident, law enforcement cordoned off the area and commenced a search operation to apprehend the suspects.
Officials from the district administration reported that approximately 2,567 individuals resided in the Afghan refugee camp. Of these, around 1,700 had been deported to Afghanistan prior to the attack on Saturday. In the aftermath of the incident, an additional 120 individuals from 20 families were also deported. Authorities have employed heavy machinery to dismantle structures within the camp as part of the evacuation process.
On December 8, a police officer was injured after gunmen targeted a police station in Bannu district, according to local media reports.
A police representative stated that snipers targeted the Ahmadzai police station. Earlier, on December 3, three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), lost their lives in an explosion aimed at a police vehicle in the Dera Ismail Khan region, as per district police spokesperson Yaqoob Zulqarnain.
Zulqarnain mentioned that an improvised explosive device was utilized to execute the blast in the Paniyala area, resulting in the deaths of ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq, and the mobile van driver Sakhi Jan, while another constable accompanying them was unharmed.
Pakistan has seen a surge in militant activity over the past year, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, following the cessation of a ceasefire between the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the government in November 2022.