<\/p>\n
PESHAWAR: At least six terrorists were killed and several others injured on Friday in a clash between police forces, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) commandos and armed locals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa\u2019s Lakki Marwat.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe terrorists armed with sniper rifles and quadcopters attacked the police in the rural area bordering Bannu district and located within the limits of Shaheed Asmatullah Khan Khattak police station of Serai Naurang town,\u201c said a police statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe attack triggered a fierce gun battle as the law enforcers returned the fire effectively,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n
As per the release, the terrorists also targeted the \u201chouses of villagers with quadcopter strikes\u201d, resulting in \u201ccivilian casualties\u201d.<\/p>\n
Although the official press release did not provide any details about police casualties, it stated that \u201cduring the armed clash, the law enforcers eliminated six terrorists and several of their accomplices were injured\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe casualties occurred as a result of explosive payload released by the quadcopters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner Habibullah Wazir, who visited the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Serai Naurang town, told media persons that ten injured had been brought to the hospital so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome injured have been referred to a hospital in Bannu while others were in stable condition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe district administration has declared an emergency at the THQ Hospital as all doctors and paramedics have been called to duty,\u201c he maintained, adding that doctors, along with a sufficient quantity of medicines, are available and standard treatment facilities are being provided to the injured people.<\/p>\n
The hospital\u2019s medical superintendent, Dr Ishaq, also confirmed that they had received \u201cten injured so far and three of them had been referred to a hospital in Bannu owing to their critical condition\u201d.<\/p>\n
The situation was tense, and security had been tightened in the remote rural area on the special instructions of Regional Police Officer (RPO) Bannu Sajjad Khan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe RPO and Lakki Marwat DPO Nazir Khan are supervising the operation against Fitna al Khawarij<\/em> terrorists as a large police contingent backed by the CTD personnel and volunteers of peace committees are present in the area,\u201d added the release.<\/p>\n Fitna-al-Khawarij<\/em> is a term that the state uses for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.<\/p>\n It continued that the law enforcers had surrounded the entire area and a search and clearance operation was underway, while additional forces had also been put on \u201chigh alert\u201d to counter any untoward eventuality.<\/p>\n \u201cPolice will continue operations against the terrorists and anti-peace elements to establish lasting peace in the region and protect people\u2019s lives and properties,\u201d the RPO affirmed.<\/p>\n Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Zulfiqar Hameed also praised the Bannu police and CTD for the successful operation against the terrorists.<\/p>\n \u201cSuch successful actions against terrorists would be further accelerated for the protection of public life and regional peace,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n A terrorist commander was also killed<\/a> in an exchange of fire with police and a CTD team in the Wanda Amir area of Lakki Marwat on Thursday.<\/p>\n On the same day, two wanted suspects, one of them wanted by the Punjab police, were arrested<\/a> during a targeted operation in the district.<\/p>\n