10 killed in KP, Fata violence
PESHAWAR: Widespread violence and targeted attacks by suspected Taliban militants across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata on Wednesday left at least 10 people, including security personnel and members of peace committees, dead.
The militants attacked committee members in Swat, killing a local ANP leader, a policeman and a private guard. A pro-government Malak, who is also chief of a peace committee, and his son died in a targeted attack in Bajaur.
One FC soldier was killed in firing on the gate of FC Fort Shabqadar in Charsadda district while two Levies personnel lost their lives in an attack on a checkpost in Malakand. Two militants also were killed in retaliatory firing during an attack on the residence of the chief of Tank peace committee.
About the attack on the FC port, DPO Shafiullah Khan confirmed that two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on Nasrullah Mehsud deployed on the main gate of the fort on Matta Road.
ANP leader, peace committee members, security personnel among dead
He said the FC soldier suffered bullet wounds on the head and was taken to a Peshawar hospital where he died.
BATKHELA: Two Levies force personnel were killed when militants attacked a security checkpost in Ghawar Kalli area of Sakhakot, Malakand protected area, early on Wednesday morning.
Levies Hawaldar Imroz Khan told journalists that he and sepoys Imran and Arshad were on duty at the checkpost when gunmen opened fire on them at about 2:15am. Imran and Arshad were killed.
A security contingent rushed to the place, cordoned off the area and took several suspects into custody.
BAJAUR: A pro-government tribal elder and chief of peace committee and his son were killed and two others wounded when suspected militants opened fire on them when they were offering prayers in a mosque in Kitkoot area of tehsil Mamond in the Bajaur tribal region on Wednesday evening.
Political administration officials confirmed the incident and said that Malak Juma Gul and his son were killed on the spot while two other worshipers Shakirullah and Samiullah were injured.
TANK: Two TTP militants were killed when they attacked the residence of Tank Peace committee chief Attaullah Bittani.
Sources said the militants attacked the house with heavy weapons. Committee’s volunteers returned fire, killing two assailants. They were later identified as Mehmood and Shah Zar.
MINGORA: A local leader of ANP, a policeman and a private guard were killed and two others were injured in an attack by suspected militants in Bara Bandai area of Swat district on Wednesday.
Police and residents said that ANP leader Naimatullah, who is also a member of the village defence committee in Bandai locality, was going home when his car came under fire. His police guard Noorul Abideen and private guard Hazrat Hussain were killed on the spot. Naimatullah and a constable of Special Police Force Said Nawab suffered injuries. The injured were taken to the Saidu Sharif hospital and later to a hospital in Peshawar because of the serious injuries suffered by them.
They said that the fleeing militants opened fire on another ANP leader Khalil Ullah, who is also member of the peace committee, in Bara Bandai area, causing serious injuries. Mr Khalil was taken to the hospital in Saidu Sharif where he died.
Swat DPO Sher Akbar Khan said that police had sealed all exit and entry points and started a search operation.
Awami National Party Swat district president Sher Shah Khan condemned the attack and said that ANP leaders and workers were main targets of terrorists.
“The government has failed to protect lives of our leaders and activists” he said.
Javid Ullah Khan, chairman of the village defence committee in Shakardara Matta area of Swat, told Dawn that they had been assisting the law-enforcement agencies since 2007.
“Our people are soft target of terrorists in the area,” Mr Khan said, adding that 11 members of his family had been killed since 2008.
Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2014