TTP claims responsibility of attack on police check post in Matni
The image shows the site of the attack. — Photo by Zahir Shah Sherazi
PESHAWAR: Banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday claimed responsibility of attacking a police check post set up on the main Peshawar-Kohat Road in the Matni area on the outskirts of Peshawar, killing seven FC and police personnel.
Superintendent of Police (Rural) Khurshid Khan and six others, including police and Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel, were killed whereas 12 others were injured when more than 300 militants attacked the check post.
Speaking over the telephone to this correspondent from an undisclosed location, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan accepted the responsibility of the attack and said they beheaded SP Khan and two FC officials during the fight and had taken away heads of all three security officials with them.
“We have also taken away two night vision goggles, 15 Kalashnikovs, two rocket launchers, three mobile jammers, 30 rounds of magazines and three heavy machine guns from the check post,” said Ehsan. Two TTP fighters sustained injuries during the fight, he added.
According to police sources, the heavily armed militants attacked the check post, resulting in a three hour gunfight.
Those killed included three policemen and four FC personnel. Sources said the militants had beheaded SP Khan on the spot.
The 12 injured included FC and police personnel who were shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital for treatment.
Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik announced the Sitara-i-Jurat award for the slain SP in recognition of his bravery.
The militants ransacked the check post and set it on fire, reducing police equipment and weapons in the office to ashes. At least four vehicles and three motorcycles were also destroyed in the attack.
Police sources said the militants fled after the attack and there were no militant casualty figures available as yet whereas a number of security personnel were missing.
Funeral prayers of SP (rural) Khan and the other slain officials were offered later today.
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, KP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain and a large number of police officers were among those attending the prayers.
Speaking to media representatives after the prayers, Chief Minister Hoti said that terrorists wanted to deteriorate Peshawar’s security situation.
Moreover, the provincial information minister said that the KP government would soon launch an operation against the terrorists.
because those policemen were drone pilots..
The article does not say what time the terrorists attacked. Very poor reporting.
What a tragedy! Pakistanis killing Pakistanis
Only brain dead people with no integrity and self respect will allow themselves to be treated like this by a bunch of criminals and thugs. What a coward and thoughtless nation!
oh God i am sick of talibaan why is pakistanipolice can not control this problem as of yet
these people should be controlled by citizens of that area,not by police.
Fedral interior minister should be fired,and supreme court should take a notice.
Three hours of gun battle and fedral govt and army was sleeping
RIP
Shame on Pakistan Army.
Three hours gunfight and no police backup??? Maybe Matni is in the middle of nowhere otherwise there is no excuse for the “militants” to have fled the scene.
“TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan accepted the responsibility of the attack and said they beheaded SP Khan and two FC officials during the fight and had taken away heads of all three security officials with them”
some times when i see dead bird or animal on road, it affect me atleast for three days but think when they were taking human heads, what would be their feelings? they must be feeling very proud by beheading three fathers of childern… thank you Zia Ul Haq.
This is so sad. Three hours fight and still Talibans managed to escape with a notion of being victorious. A SP police was beheaded, but no body in the country would ever know him for more than a day or two. Why media does not bring this issue in the lime light as it is the true depiction of bravery on the part of our Police. But, as the luck would have it, its Malala, which is still being the headlines of News. May the family of all those who died be blessed with power to bear their loss. May Allah help us all
where is our backup plans? where is our PAF? do we have any Air Force anyway????? they are sleeping. the attack lasted 3 hours, you can fly from Dubai to Peshawar in less than 3 hours. where was our police back up and where was our Air Force support? Its above my head, whats happening. they even dont have sense of shame now in them. militants come inside their home, cut a few and abduct a few to upload their cutting movies online. and they are still sleeping no plans to defence. you people sincerely tell me when was the last time you heard of any action from our Air Force? they are sleeping we have just 14th august circus squad. we dont have even an ambulance. we had to beg UAE to provide us one, so where is this unaudited budget going? why dont we just shut down air force and use that budget to give weapons to our people, we will defend our cities ourself.
It is really strange and shameful that during three hour gun battle, no support action was taken by Police or Military by sending reinforcement. They could easily send attack helicopters or jet fighters. But Government of Pakistan and Military of Pakistan seemed not to feel bad at all. Persons like us sitting in other countries cannot do more than to express sorrow for those innocent Police officer killed due to lack of support from their own country.