BANNU/BAJAUR: Militants launched an attack on a private company’s camp working on the Circular Road project in Bannu, setting all the heavy machinery in the camp on fire, officials and eyewitnesses said on Saturday.
According to Engineer Sharafat, the attackers were between 20 and 25 in number. The incident took place in the Dwa Manzi area, where the company had set up a camp to facilitate rapid construction work using heavy machinery. Last night, they said, the armed men entered the camp and systematically torched the equipment.
The officials said that the attackers destroyed machinery including one crane, three dumpers, two excavators, two water tankers, two generators (200 kV and 300 kV), three rollers, one loader, a solar plant, two tractors, two machines for risk detection, seven diesel drums, ten curing compound drums, and one welding plant. “The attackers completely destroyed all valuable equipment, and authorities are assessing the total financial loss,” said one official.
Workers present at the camp said the attack began at midnight and continued until 3:30 am., during which the militants operated without fear. The police have confirmed the incident, but a formal FIR has not yet been registered.
In a related incident, a small explosive-laden drum was defused on a road in Dabak Syedkhel.
Meanwhile, the residence of Jamiat-e-Islami (JI) local leader Maulana Waheed Gul was targeted with improvised explosive device (IED) in Bajaur tribal district.
Maulana Waheed Gul, who is the JI provincial deputy chief and a former candidate for the provincial assembly, remained unharmed as he was not present at home at the time of the incident. No loss of life was reported in the attack.
According to police, the explosive material was planted near the main gate of Maulana Waheed Gul’s hujra. The blast caused severe damage to the house, the hujra, and a vehicle parked nearby.
District Police Officer Bajaur, Waqas Rafiq, said that preliminary investigations suggested that an improvised explosive device (IED) was used in the attack.
Soon after the explosion, a heavy police contingent cordoned off the area, collected evidence from the site, and launched a formal investigation. Police officials said that a search operation was initiated to arrest the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, a cop was injured in a firing incident when unidentified assailants opened fire on a police post at Saddiqabad Phattak.
As a result of the firing, police constable Shahzada sustained a bullet injury.
The injured policeman was initially shifted to hospital in Khar for treatment and was later referred to a hospital in Peshawar, for further medical care.
The police retaliated promptly, forcing the attackers to flee the scene. Upon receiving information, a Rescue 1122 medical team reached the spot and provided first aid before transporting the injured officer to District Headquarters Hospital, Khar, in an ambulance.
Also, in another incident, a man was injured due to gunfire by armed assailants in the Utmankhel Arang area of Bajaur.
The injured person was identified as Nasirullah, a resident of Sarado Arang.
According to his father, Nasirullah was wounded after being fired upon with firearms and was shifted to the Rural Health Centre Arang for medical treatment. Police have started an investigation into the incident.
