- Armed men set the vehicle on fire before fleeing with captives.
- Operation underway to recover the rest of the captives: sources.
- Police and CTD shot dead three TTP activists in a joint action.
Security forces on Thursday rescued eight of the 17 civilian workers who were kidnapped at gunpoint by banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources said . Geo News.
Sources said militants ambushed a vehicle carrying unarmed civilians, took them hostage, set it on fire and fled with the captives.
Meanwhile, security forces, in a joint operation with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA), recovered eight of the abducted civilians, sources said, adding that an operation was underway to recover the rest .
Sources added that security forces were determined to bring to justice those who committed this “ruthless act”. “Such actions by Fitna al-Khawarij against Pakistan and its people have nothing to do with religion and Islamic values,” they added.
Earlier in the day, police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) – in a joint operation in Lakki Marwat – shot dead three TTP militants.
The CTD, in a statement, said it received information about the presence of around a dozen militants in the area, on which an intelligence operation was carried out.
An intense exchange of fire took place between the raiding team and the militants, which resulted in the death of three terrorists.
Arms and ammunition were also recovered from the slain militants, who remained actively involved in many terrorist activities against the security forces, the statement added.
The country has been reeling from increasing violent attacks since Taliban leaders returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the border provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The year 2024 turned out to be the deadliest for Pakistan’s civilian and military security forces in a decade, with at least 685 deaths and 444 terrorist attacks, according to the ‘CRSS Annual Security Report 2024’ released by the Center for Security and Strategic Studies.
Equally alarming were the cumulative losses of civilians and security personnel, amounting to 1,612 deaths, more than 63% of the total recorded this year, or 73% more losses than the 934 outlaws eliminated. News reported citing the CRSS report.
The total number of deaths recorded the previous year was a 9-year high and more than 66% more than in 2023. On average, almost seven people lost their lives per day, with November becoming the deadliest month, all parameters combined, compared to all other months. of the year.
The violence took the heaviest toll in KP, with 1,616 deaths, followed by Balochistan with 782 deaths. In 2024, the country recorded 2,546 violence-related deaths and 2,267 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws.
This casualty count stems from 1,166 incidents of terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations, marking a dark year for the country’s security landscape.