SWABI -  The district police on Wednesday night thwarted a militant attack on a police post killing four of the attackers in two-hour gun battle near the boundary line, shared by Swabi with Mardan and Buner districts.
It was the second attack on the police post within four days. In the earlier attack, the militants had killed two policemen of Darang police post and planted an improvised explosive device (IED) before escaping from the area. After that incident, the police had been directed by their officers to remain high alert round the clock and take all precautionary measures to avoid such incidents in future.
“About a group of about 20 militants, equipped with modern weapons, attacked the far-flung Nathyan police post and hurled hand grenades on it. The checkpoint is situated near Mardan-Swabi boundary line,” DPO Sajjad Khan told this correspondent.
Reportedly, seven policemen, led by a head constable, were on duty when the militants launched the attack. Within minutes of the attack, the policemen informed Haji Muhammad, station house officer of Parmuli police station. The SHO immediately contacted the DPO who ordered reinforcement from various police stations of the district.
Police force from Rustan (Mardan) was also ordered to reach Nathyan post. The targeted post is also near district Buner where the army had launched an operation against militants in 2009.
“The police successfully repulsed the militants’ attack at Nathyan police post and killed four of them while the rest of them were forced to flee,” said the DPO.
The gun battle continued for two hours. The militants fled from the spot, leaving four dead bodies. However, it could not be immediately ascertained where the militants had come from and where they had gone.
The DPO claimed the police had foiled the militants’ plan to occupy Nathyan post and kill the policemen as they had done at Darang police post.
The dead bodies of the militants were taken to Kalu Khan police station where necessary measures would be taken for their identification.
The police also seized four Kalashnikovs, four hand grenades, eight magazines and three dozen bullets. The gun battle damaged the police post badly.
Meanwhile, KPK Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani announced Rs 100,000 cash award and commendation certificates for the police party that repulsed the attack of the militants on Natyan Police post.
It may be recalled that the Bannu police, in a similar attack on Sheikh landak police post, had also killed three terrorists last week.