The death toll from last night’s attack on a police training center in Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rose on Saturday after the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) said at least seven policemen were martyred and 13 were injured in the incident.
On Friday night, police repelled an attack on a police training center in Dera Ismail Khan. At the time, officials had said at least three terrorists, including a suicide bomber, were killed in retaliatory fire by police forces.
On Saturday, a report issued by the CTD, a copy of which is available with dawn.comshowed that seven police officers were martyred and 13 others were injured in the incident. Dera Ismail Khan Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Hamid Saddiqui also confirmed the figures to dawn.com.
According to the CTD report, the attack took place at 10.30 pm on Friday within the limits of Shorkot police station.
Meanwhile, an earlier statement issued by DI Khan police claimed that five terrorists were killed during an exchange of fire that lasted five hours.
Detailing the attack, the statement said: “Last night, Fitna al Khawarij First, the terrorists rammed a truck loaded with explosives into the gate of the police training school in the Ratta Kalachi area, causing the school wall to collapse.”
The initial attack left one police officer dead, according to the police statement. He then said that the militants proceeded to enter the school and began shooting with heavy weapons and hand grenades, adding that the police forces “bravely counterattacked” and the exchange of fire continued for about five hours.
“As soon as the news of the attack reached District Police Officer (DPO), Sahibzada Sajjad Ahmed, he rushed to the spot with a large contingent of police officers,” the statement read.
Regional police officer Syed Ashfaq Anwar was also present, he said, adding that the police were later joined by security forces.
“The police and other security forces jointly set an example of courage and bravery in the five-hour-long operation, killing five terrorists and recovering suicide vests, explosives and ammunition from them,” the police statement said.
The area has been cleared of terrorists and further searches are underway, the statement said.
Praising the efforts of the forces in foiling the attack, KP Inspector General of Police (IG) Zulfiqar Hameed was quoted as saying: “The unparalleled bravery of the frontline officers has shown that the KP Police is committed to eradicating terrorism.”
Announcing compensation for the martyrs, he assured that “their sacrifices will not be in vain.” KP IG also announced special rewards for all those who participated in the operation.
Recently, several areas of KP (including Bannu, Peshawar, Karak, Lakki Marwat and Bajaur) have witnessed a series of terrorist attacks, especially on police personnel.
A senior army officer was martyred during an Intelligence Based Operation (IBO) in DI Khan a day ago. A policeman was martyred in the district after a police checkpost was attacked from multiple sides by terrorists late on Wednesday.
Last month, 13 terrorists were killed during an IBO in Daraban area of the district.
According to reports compiled by the Pakistan Institute of Conflict and Security Studies and the Center for Security Research and Studies, KP remained the province most affected by terrorism last month, but also witnessed an intensification of counter-terrorism actions. The province reported 45 attacks that killed 54 people and injured 49.
Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terrorist attacks, especially in KP and Balochistan, mainly targeting police, law enforcement personnel and security forces. Attacks increased after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan broke a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.
