Hangu operation kills terror attack mastermind

Security forces have killed the alleged mastermind of the July 30 attack on the Khazina Banda police checkpost in Hangu, where nine police personnel lost their lives.

A senior security official told  that the terrorist, identified as Amir Mauviya, was killed during an intelligence-based operation in Chapri Naryab, Hangu.

According to security sources, Mauviya held a key position within Fitna-al-Khawarij in Kurram and faced charges in several other terrorism cases. Security forces have intensified operations against militants under Operation 11 Garaj.

The July 30 attack on the Khazina Banda checkpost killed nine police officials, including a deputy superintendent of police, and injured 28 others. Police said terrorists attacked the post, triggering an exchange of fire in which 15 militants were killed.

In a separate incident on Sunday, an improvised explosive device targeted a police van near Pir Zakorhi Bridge, close to the Peshawar-Islamabad motorway toll plaza. The blast caused minor injuries to two police personnel.

Earlier, on July 29, a police officer lost his life and four terrorists were killed during an operation in Matta tehsil of Swat.

The latest incidents come days after a deadly attack on a joint police checkpost in Tank district, where 15 people, including 14 security personnel and a government official, were martyred. According to the military’s media wing, security forces killed 12 attackers after thwarting their attempt to breach the checkpost. One terrorist vehicle packed with explosives also struck the perimeter wall, causing significant damage.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to face a growing threat from militant attacks. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies reported that security personnel deaths in terrorism-related incidents across KP, excluding the merged districts, rose from 12 in June to 38 in July. Terrorist deaths also increased from 37 to 108 during the same period, while civilian fatalities dropped from 26 to seven.