In a tragic incident on Monday, unidentified armed assailants launched a deadly attack on the camp office of a private oil and gas company in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan, resulting in one fatality and 12 injuries. The assault unfolded in the Darazinda area, marking another disturbing episode in the region’s growing security concerns.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Faizi confirmed the casualties and informed Dawn.com that the wounded had been transported to the District Headquarters Hospital of Dera Ismail Khan, with two individuals reported to be in critical condition.
A significant police presence quickly responded to the incident and began a thorough search of the area. This latest assault comes after a similar one that occurred last week against the camp office of Al-Haj Oil and Gas Private Drilling Company. In that attack, two police officers lost their lives, and three others were injured. Security forces also suffered more casualties.
Read Also: Asad Umar quits politics, resigns from PTI
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly D.I. Khan, and Balochistan have witnessed an upsurge in assaults targeting security personnel. Notably, a bomb blast near a police patrol on November 3 claimed five lives and injured over 20 in Dera Ismail Khan city. Subsequent attacks targeted security personnel at checkpoints in the Tank and Roori areas, resulting in casualties and injuries.
In a separate incident on November 4, security forces neutralized nine terrorists who had infiltrated a Pakistan Air Force training base in Mianwali. Additionally, in Gwadar, on November 3, militants ambushed two vehicles of security forces, leading to the tragic loss of at least 14 Pakistan Army soldiers.
Highlighting the severity of the situation, the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) reported that the number of militant attacks in August reached the highest monthly tally in almost nine years, with 99 incidents across the country. The alarming surge in violence underscores the pressing need for comprehensive measures to address and mitigate the escalating security challenges facing Pakistan.
