Daily Times

A senior police official was martyred and three others, including a DSP, were injured on Tuesday during an intelligence-based operation that led to the killing of two top TTP commanders in the Katlang area of Mardan district.

During the clash, Superintendent of Police (SP) Ijaz Khan was martyred with DSP Naseem Khan along with two other police officials injured.

The slain terrorists were identified as Hasan Qadeer Yousafzai, alias Mohsin Qadeer, and his aide Abbas alias Essa. The militants were part of the TTP Haris group, which joined the group in 2011. Before that, they were affiliated with TTP Swat.

The terrorist commander was a former service member and joined the terror group in 2011 and Essa was the brother-in-law of Qadeer. Both moved to Swat with their families during the tenure of the PTI government and were wanted by security forces for attacks on security personnel, facilitation of militants, and blasts in Mardan, Noweshera, and Swabi regions.

Rescue 1122 reported that the terrorists opened fire on the police officers at around 3:30am last night.

The SP’s body and the injured were immediately shifted to the Mardan Medical Complex (MMC) and another medical facility in the area. Ijaz’s funeral was performed at the Police Line Mardan earlier, where DIG Region Sulaiman Khan, Commissioner Shaukat Khan Yousafzai, and Deputy Commissioner Fayaz Sher Pavon paid tribute to the martyr. SP Ijaz’s body has been shifted to his native town Sherpao for burial.