Kohat (Rajeev Sharma): A police operation targeting illegal gold mining in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province turned deadly after armed men ambushed a returning security convoy, leaving 11 policemen and 18 attackers dead.
The attack took place in the Darbokach Jalandhar Banda area of Kohat district when the police team came under heavy gunfire from assailants positioned on surrounding hilltops. The personnel were returning after completing an operation conducted in coordination with the local civil administration against illegal gold extraction.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, the officers responded to the assault and engaged the attackers in an intense exchange of fire. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of 18 assailants, while 11 members of the police force also lost their lives.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Haider Zaman and Sub-Inspector Mukhtiar were among the officers killed in the ambush. The attack also saw five police vehicles being set on fire, adding to the destruction at the site.
Authorities subsequently declared an emergency at the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital as medical facilities prepared to deal with the casualties.
Reacting to the incident, provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi denounced the attack and pointed towards a possible connection between criminal networks and terrorist groups operating in the province.
The deadly confrontation has raised fresh concerns over the safety of security personnel engaged in operations against illegal mining and other criminal activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
