By Saud Mehsud
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan police stated three officers have been killed on Friday close to the northwestern Afghan border throughout a gun battle that additionally killed three militants, in an uptick in violence elevating safety considerations forward of nationwide elections early subsequent yr.
The assault got here inside two days of one other such militant assault within the area which killed 23 Pakistani troopers in Dera Ismail Khan district, close to the nation’s lawless tribal districts bordering Afghanistan.
Friday’s assault occurred in adjoining Tank district when certainly one of a number of militants first exploded himself on the primary entrance of a police workplace and residence block and the others stormed in, stated police official Iftikhar Shah.
“Our force on guard engaged them in a gun battle for hours,” and two extra law enforcement officials have been wounded, he stated.
Provincial police chief Akhtar Hayat stated three of the attackers have been killed. “We are searching for the rest of them, including two who suffered wounds,” he stated.
A bit recognized militant group that recognized itself as Ansar-ul-Islam claimed accountability, saying it was their first assault, in response to a press release despatched to a Reuters reporter.
The police did not confirm the authenticity of the declare.
The Pakistani army has carried out a number of operations towards the militants, particularly in Waziristan area subsequent to the district the place the most recent assaults occurred, which as soon as served as a headquarters of the native and international Islamist militants.
The militants have ramped up their assaults since they revoked a ceasefire with the federal government final yr.
It’s not clear whether or not the brand new department is a part of the principle Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group, which is an umbrella of a number of Islamist and sectarian outfits.
The TTP has been waging a battle towards the state for years, looking for to overthrow the federal government and change it with a harsh model of Islamic governance.
