PESHAWAR: A police officer was martyred in a suicide explosion on Tuesday while attempting to neutralise two suspected terrorists in an intel-based operation at a roadside mosque in Khyber district’s Jamrud area, police said.
Police said that they carried out the intelligence-based operation after receiving information of the presence of the two suspected terrorists at a mosque in the Ali Mosque area of Jamrud.
According to police, the martyred officer was identified as Additional Station House Officer (SHO) Adnan Afridi, who displayed immense bravery by attempting to neutralise the suspected terrorist at the empty mosque. The terrorist detonated his explosives when the courageous police officer enter the roadside mosque.
The accomplice of the suicide bomber was said to have fled the scene following the bombing. Law enforcement personnel are carrying out an investigation and trying to nab the terrorist who fled.
A video shared on social media features a police official entering Ali Mosque carefully looking for the terrorist who after being encircled blows himself up inside the mosque upon arrival of the officer. The explosion was so huge that fire and smoke engulfed the entire mosque while the building also was exploded fully.
خودکش حملے کی ویڈیو۔۔۔
فوری طور پر سمجھ نہیں آرہی کہ وڈیو کیسے بن گئی؟ پولیس نے خودکش حملہ آور کا پیچھا کیا، خودکش حملہ آور نے خود کو گھیرے میں پایا تو خود کو اڑالیا؟ #AliMasjid#khyber#kpPolice#kpkpolice#peshawar pic.twitter.com/tjAcpJJE0S— Fida Adeel (@FidaAdeel1) July 25, 2023
The KP Inspector General of Police (IGP) confirmed the incident and the martyrdom of the police officer.
In a statement, the K-P IGP praised the selfless and swift actions of the police personnel at the scene, including Additional SHO Adnan Afridi who sacrificed his life on duty.
He said that the security forces were actively present at the scene following the blast, responding to the situation with promptness and determination.
Despite the circumstances, the police put their lives on the line to protect innocent civilians from further harm, he added.
The suicide explosion on Tuesday is the latest in a series of bombings targeting police and security personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
On Thursday, three policemen and a civilian were martyred after two suicide bombers disguised in police uniforms targeted a Tehsil Offices Compound in Khyber district’s Bara area.
Swift response from the security personnel at the scene led to the killing of the two attackers, but the detonation of the suicide bombers’ vests caused part of the building to collapse, resulting in the martyrdom of three policemen and a civilian. Nine policemen and two civilians were also injured in the attack.
The attack came hours after two policemen were martyred in a shooting at a check post in Regi Model Town, further escalating security concerns in the region.
