Policeman martyred, two Levies injured in militant attack in Sherani district

QUETTA: A policeman was martyred and two Levies personnel were injured after militants attacked police and Levies stations in Sherani district of Balochistan.

According to Levies, the incident took place late Tuesday night in Mir Ali Khel, the district headquarters bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where more than 15 assailants armed with light and heavy weapons simultaneously targeted the Levies station and a nearby police station.

Sherani Deputy Commissioner Hazrat Wali Kakar confirmed the incident, saying: “Police and Levies personnel retaliated with gunfire. However, Constable Altaf, who was positioned on the police station’s rooftop, was martyred in the firing, while Levies sepoys Kalu Khan and Wahid Khan were injured.”

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The attackers set fire to the Levies station and a vehicle parked inside. The exchange of fire lasted more than half an hour before the assailants fled, security officials said.

During the assault, Levies sepoy Azam Khan went missing and is feared to have been taken away by the attackers.

Following the incident, heavy contingents of police, Levies and the Anti-Terrorism Force (ATF) rushed to the site from Zhob district.

Security officials said that a search operation is under way to trace the missing personnel. The injured were shifted to Zhob Civil Hospital.

Authorities suspect the involvement of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), though no group has claimed responsibility so far.

Earlier, more than 15 armed robbers looted Rs220.5 million from two bank cash transit vans in Kech district of Balochistan.

Deputy Commissioner Kech Major (retd) Bashir Ahmed Badich confirmed the incident but shared no further details.

Another district administration official told Urdu News that the heist took place on the M-8 highway at Dasht Khadan Cross, around 60 kilometres from Turbat.

The robbers not only seized the cash but also snatched weapons from the private security guards escorting the vans.

A security company employee, requesting anonymity, said the cash had been collected from two private banks — Meezan Bank and Bank Alfalah — in Turbat.

It was being transferred to Karachi in two bulletproof vans operated by SOS, a private security firm.

According to the official, one bank’s share amounted to Rs1.455 million and the other’s to Rs750 million, packed into more than 20 bags.