Security forces successfully rescued eight civilian workers abducted by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Seventeen workers were taken hostage at gunpoint in a ruthless attack by militants on Thursday.
According to sources, the militants ambushed a vehicle transporting unarmed civilians. They set the vehicle on fire after taking the passengers captive and fled the scene. Security forces, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies (LEAs), launched a joint operation and managed to recover eight abductees. Efforts to rescue the remaining civilians are still underway.
Sources stated that security forces are determined to bring the perpetrators of this barbaric act to justice. They emphasized that such acts of violence, referred to as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” have no connection to Islam or religious values.
In a separate operation earlier that day, police and the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) conducted a raid in Lakki Marwat. Acting on intelligence reports, they targeted a group of TTP militants. The raid resulted in an intense exchange of fire, during which three militants were killed. Weapons and ammunition were seized from the scene.
The CTD revealed that the slain militants were involved in numerous terrorist activities targeting security forces. The agency continues to track other militants in the region.
Pakistan has faced a surge in violent attacks since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. The situation remains particularly dire in provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, which border Afghanistan.
In 2024, the country witnessed one of its deadliest years in a decade. According to the CRSS Annual Security Report 2024, 685 security personnel lost their lives in 444 terror attacks. The combined fatalities of civilians and security forces reached 1,612, marking a 73% increase compared to 2023.
The report highlighted that violence-linked fatalities in 2024 hit a nine-year high, totaling 2,546 deaths. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa suffered the most, recording 1,616 fatalities, followed by Balochistan with 782 deaths. November emerged as the deadliest month, with an average of seven fatalities daily.
The grim toll resulted from 1,166 incidents, including terror attacks and counter-terror operations. These alarming figures underline the growing security challenges faced by Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
