In a significant operation on Friday, security forces in Dera Ismail Khan district killed five terrorists and injured two others during an exchange of fire. The operation was based on intelligence gathered through a tip-off in the Maddi area. During the encounter, five militants were killed, and two others sustained injuries.
According to a statement from the military’s media wing, the operation targeted a location where the militants were positioned. The ringleader, identified as Shafiullah alias Shafi, was reportedly among the dead. Security forces also recovered weapons and ammunition from the terrorists. These militants had been actively involved in attacks against security personnel and had been responsible for several targeted killings of civilians.
In a separate development, the Marwat Qaumi Jirga, a tribal council, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the government for the release of workers abducted from a Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) project. The workers were kidnapped by armed militants the previous day from the Lakki-Darra Tang road. The kidnappers took the workers to an undisclosed location and set their vehicle on fire in a forest area along the Kurrum River.
Following the abduction, security forces initiated a rescue operation and managed to recover eight of the victims. However, the jirga condemned the incident, criticizing the government’s failure to ensure the safety of its citizens. The elders expressed their concerns over the worsening law and order situation, noting that such incidents were happening in broad daylight.
The jirga members, who met in the Dallokhel area near Lakki Marwat, demanded immediate action from the government for the safe return of the remaining workers. They have vowed to intensify their efforts if the workers are not released within the 24-hour period.
Elders from the Aba Shaheedkhel and Begukhel tribes attended the jirga, and several prominent figures, including former MNA Amirullah Marwat and MPA Johar Muhammad Khan, spoke during the meeting. They expressed deep concern over the government’s handling of security and emphasized the need for local communities to take charge of their own protection.
