10 cops martyred, 18 terrorists killed as police party comes under attack in KP's Kohat

PESHAWAR: Eighteen terrorists were killed while 10 cops were martyred on Wednesday when the police team came under attack on its way back after completing an operation against elements involved in illegal gold mining, police said.

In a statement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police said it was conducting a joint operation with the local civil administration in the Darabukach locality near Kohat city.

“When the police party was returning after completing the operation, Fitna-al-Khawarij attacked the police party at the behest of criminal elements,” the statement read,

“Police personnel fought the attackers with great bravery and courage, as a result of which 18 khawarij were sent to hell,” it noted, adding that 10 personnel of KP Police “embraced martyrdom while fighting bravely”.

Earlier, Rescue 1122 spokesperson Jawad Afridi said in a video message, “There was an incident where a police party came under fire, and so far, we have shifted 12 police personnel to the hospital.”

He said that according to the injured police officials, there were several bodies at the scene. He added that details regarding the exact number of deaths would be shared when more information became available.

A statement issued by KP police said that a major operation had been launched against illegal gold mining, which was being fuelled by a nexus between terrorists and criminal elements.

It said that terrorists attacked a police contingent in the Darbukach area, within the jurisdiction of the Gumbat police station, adding that Fitna al Khawarij were behind the attack.

Fitna al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

Police said that additional personnel had been dispatched to the area and an exchange of fire was underway.

The incident comes a day after the Kohat deputy commissioner imposed a 60-day ban on parking excavators within the limits of Block-C, Block-D of placer gold and adjacent mining areas.

The order issued from the DC office stated that certain individuals, groups and locals had parked excavators at their residences near mining areas, which could easily be used for the unauthorised mining of placer gold.

It said that despite several operations conducted by the district administration to vacate areas of illegal mining, the presence of excavators within residential areas continued to facilitate and encourage such activities, posing a grave risk to public order and state interest

It said that the district administration, in order to curb the illegal mining activities, was compelled to take stringent measures to prevent the misuse of excavators, which have become a key tool in facilitating unlawful placer gold extraction.

Through another order, the administration had also banned the sale, purchase and supply of petroleum products in open containers/bottles for use in unauthorised mining of gold in the district.

Governor seeks report

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi condemned the incident and sought a detailed report, as per an official statement issued by his office. It said that the incident occurred during an operation against illegal mining.

Although there has been no official death toll given so far, the statement said that Kundi “expressed sorrow at the martyrdom of police personnel”.

“This cowardly act by terrorists is highly condemnable,” Kundi was quoted as saying, vowing that the attackers would be brought to justice.

“The supreme sacrifices made by the police personnel will not go in vain,” the governor asserted, stressing that the martyrs’ sacrifices were a “source of pride” for the nation.

“In this difficult and sorrowful time, I fully share the grief of the families of the martyrs,” he said. He also reiterated the same in a post on X.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry also expressed grief and sorrow at the “loss of human lives” due to “firing by terrorists” on the police team.

“The sacrifices of the police against terrorism and criminal elements are a source of pride for the entire nation,” he said on X.

“The government and relevant institutions should bring the elements involved in this cowardly act before the law as soon as possible so that they may be brought to justice,” he said.

Last week, two policemen were martyred, and another was injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire on them in KP’s Mohmand district.

Last month, a police officer was martyred after terrorists attacked a police post in KP’s Bajaur. On October 20, an additional station house officer (SHO) of the Miranshah police station was martyred in firing by unidentified individuals near Miranshah Bypass Road in North Waziristan.

On Oct 7, seven policemen were injured when terrorists attacked a police checkpost in Kohat.

According to Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, the country’s security environment continued to show considerable volatility from Oct 30 to Nov 5, with renewed terrorist activity in parts of KP and the former tribal districts, alongside intensified counterterrorism operations and changing patterns of militant violence.

It is worth mentioning that KP has been under governor’s rule and emergency since Oct 11, when the federal government took the measures, citing the PTI-led KP government’s “deliberate disengagement” from the counterterrorism fight.