PESHAWAR: Police have killed the alleged mastermind of the deadly terrorist attack on the Khazina Banda police check post in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, police officials said on Saturday.
According to police, security personnel detected the movement of 15 to 18 militants near Chapri Naryab and launched an operation. During the exchange of fire, the suspected militant commander was killed.
Officials identified the slain militant as the alleged planner of the July 29 attack on the Khazina Banda police check post, in which 10 police officers, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were killed and 32 others were injured.
The development came a day after investigators released findings detailing the planning and execution of the attack.
The investigation found that the attackers used advanced thermal imaging technology to monitor police movements under the cover of darkness before launching the assault.
According to the report, around 100 militants took part in the attack under the command of a wanted militant leader.
The attackers carried modern weapons, including sniper rifles and quadcopters, which they used for surveillance and operational support during the assault.
Investigators said the militants also ambushed police reinforcements. They positioned fighters at multiple locations up to three kilometres from the check post and attacked responding police teams from three different directions under a pre-planned strategy.
Despite limited resources, police officers mounted a determined defence and resisted the attackers for several hours, delaying their advance and preventing them from quickly achieving their objectives, the report said.
The attack left 10 police officers dead and 32 others wounded.
The investigation also reviewed security arrangements, intelligence gathering, emergency response procedures and recommended measures to strengthen protection against similar attacks in the future.
Authorities said operations against the militants responsible for the attack and their alleged facilitators would be intensified. Security has also been reinforced across the affected area.
