Eight freed after militants take PAEC men hostage in Lakki
• 3 injured shifted to DHQ; rescue operation underway to recover remaining abductees
• Security forces kill three militants from TTP-affiliated group; soldier martyred, four hurt in D.I. Khan ambush
LAKKI MARWAT: At least 17 private workers of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), along with their driver, were kidnapped by armed militants on Thursday while travelling along the Lakki-Darra Tang Road.
A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction and said that a rescue operation was immediately launched after the incident. “Eight workers have been recovered so far, including one who was injured,” the official said.
Another official said that there were three injured workers and that they had been shifted to the district headquarters hospital.
Sources said the private PAEC workers were on their way to a project site in the Qaboolkhel area of the district when their private coach was intercepted by armed assailants near Wanda Painda Khan.
The kidnappers took the hostages to an undisclosed location, later abandoning and setting fire to the coach in a forested area along the Kurram River.
Hours after the incident, videos purportedly showing the abducted workers surfaced on social media, with the workers appealing to the government to meet the militants’ demands to secure their release.
Three militants killed
In a related development, police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) killed three terrorists of the Teepu Gull group, an affiliate of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), during a joint operation in the Malang Adda area of Lakki Marwat on Thursday.
Officials said the operation was launched based on intelligence about the presence of a dozen gunmen in the area. “As the raiding team took position, the militants opened fire, prompting an intense exchange of gunfire,” an official said.
The terrorists killed in the operation were identified as Shafeeq Nawaz, Muhammad Mujahid alias Jihadyar and Fidaur Rehman alias Anas alias Gul. Officials said that Mujahid was a key member of the Maulvi Ihsan alias Channu group, while Fida was a close aide of militant commander Maulvi Hikmatullah alias Hamaas.
The three militants were involved in attacks on law enforcement personnel, bomb explosions and other acts of terrorism.
The raiding party recovered three assault rifles, magazines, ammunition and mobile phones from the scene.
Others managed to escape under the cover of darkness. No law enforcement personnel were injured in the operation.
Cases have been registered against the killed and fleeing militants at the CTD police station in Bannu, and further investigations are underway.
Soldier martyred in D.I. Khan
Meanwhile, a soldier was martyred and four others sustained injuries in a terrorist attack on a security forces’ post in the Garah Bakhtiar Morr area of Kulachi tehsil, Dera Ismail Khan district, sources said on Wednesday night.
Officials said that a convoy returning from Rorri was ambushed by armed assailants.
The attack resulted in the martyrdom of one soldier and injuries to four personnel.
Heavy contingents of police and security forces, along with medical teams, were dispatched to the site.
The area was cordoned off and a search operation was launched to apprehend the attackers.
Muhammad Irfan Mughal in Dera Ismail Khan also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2025