• Five civilians lose their lives as terrorists storm health centre in Kirri Shamozai; three militants gunned down
• ISPR pins Bannu assault on Hafiz Gul Bahadur group ‘operating from Afghanistan’; 10 attackers killed
• Bannu traders oppose military operation, vow not to leave their homes

D. I. KHAN / LAKKI MARWAT: At least 15 people, including 10 soldiers, lost their lives in two attacks in Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu, amid escalating violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s southern regions.

A statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said terrorists stormed a rural health centre (RHC) in Kirri Shamozai area of D.I. Khan on the night between Monday and Tuesday.

The attack claimed the lives of five civilians, inc­l­u­ding women and children. Two army personnel were also martyred in an excha­nge of fire with terrorists.

The D.I. Khan attack came mere hours after militants barged into the cantonment in neighbouring Bannu district, early on Monday.

The militants opened “ind­­­iscriminate fire” on staff and civilians after ent­­ering the RHC Kirri Shamozai.

The five deceased civilians included two lady health workers, two children and a watchman, ISPR added.

Security forces in the vicinity were immediately mobilised to engage the terrorists, three of whom were gunned down in the crossfire, in which two soldiers also embraced martyrdom.

They have been identified as Naib Subedar Muh­a­m­mad Farooq, 44, hailing from Narowal and Sepoy Muhammad Javed Iqbal, 23, hailing from Khanewal.

Their funeral prayers were offered in D.I. Khan, which was attended by senior army officials and civilians. Their bodies have been sent to native areas for burial with full military honours.

ISPR said a sanitisation operation was going on in the area to eliminate any remaining terrorists.

The perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act targeting innocent civilians, especially women and children, will be brought to justice, the military’s media wing vowed.

Eight martyred in Bannu

A day after the Bannu attack, ISPR released the names of soldiers who were martyred in the gunfight with the terrorists.

In the first official statement since the attack, the military’s media wing said during the early hours of Monday, 10 terrorists atta­cked Bannu Cantonment.

They rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the security perimeter, res­u­lting in an intense gun battle which rocked the city.

“The attempt to enter the cantonment was effectively thwarted by the security forces personnel, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the cantonment,” ISPR added.

It said that the suicide blast led to the collapse of a portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, resulting in the martyrdom of eight soldiers.

They have been identified as Naib Subedar Muhammad Shehzad, 44, from Poonch, Azad Kashmir; Havildar Shahzad Ahmed, 28, from Neelum, Azad Kashmir; Sepoy Ashfaq Hussain Khan, 30, and Sepoy Sobhan Majeed, 22, from Muzaffarabad; Havildar Zil-i-Hussain, 39, from Khushab; Sepoy Imtiaz Khan, 30, from Karak; and Sepoy Arsalan Aslam, 26 from Bahawalpur.

Besides, a Frontier Constabulary Lance Naik Sabz Ali, 34, from Lakki Marwat, was also martyred in the blast.

ISPR added that the ensuing operation by security forces resulted in the death of all ten terrorists.

“This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented a major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives,” the ISPR statement added.

“The gallant and selfless action of the security forces is a testament to their unrelenting resolve in the fight against terrorism.”

The ISPR statement has blamed the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group for the attack on the Bannu cantonment and claimed that the terrorists were operating out of Afghanistan.

“The heinous act of terrorism has been undertaken by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.”

The ISPR statement said Pakistan has repeatedly raised its concerns with the Afghan Taliban government and urged them to take action against these terrorists.

Traders oppose operation

As sounds of explosion and gunfire died down in the city on Tuesday, local traders held a rally to raise their voices for peace in the region.

On the call of the Bannu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local elders, political leaders and social activists participated in the rally, which passed through different bazaars and converged at Pareti Gate.

Later while addressing a press conference the chamber of commerce vice president Nasir Bangash, general secretary Ghulam Qeebaz, and others urged local elders to play their effective role for establishing peace in the area.

“From now on, people will not receive any compensation for their relatives killed in terror attacks”, the speakers said, adding that they would instead avenge the deaths of their loved ones.

They also opposed any military operation in their areas and said locals would not vacate their homes at any cost.

They said that for now, locals will raise their voices for peace by launching protests, and if the situation did not improve, they would stand up against militants.

They also announced a complete shutter-down strike on Friday and a grand peace jirga on Sunday.

Condemnation

The attacks drew widespread condemnation from political figures.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani strongly condemned a cowardly terrorist attack on RHC Kirri Shamozai, Dera Ismail Khan.

The Senate chairman and KP governor also condemned the terrorist attack on Bannu Cantonment and expressed deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the martyred soldiers.

National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also condemned the terrorist attacks on Bannu Cantonment and praised the security forces for thwarting it bravely.

Iran’s Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Reza Amiri Moghadam also expressed his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Pakistan on the martyrdom of security personnel in Bannu.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2024