At least four members of a local peace committee were killed in a suspected terrorist attack in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said.
The incident occurred on Tuesday in Bannu district when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a vehicle in the Gulbadin Landi Dak area, a police official at the Bannu district police control room told Anadolu by phone.
“Four people travelling in the car were killed in the attack,” the official said, adding that two of the victims were identified as a father and son.
The official said the attack appeared to be a terror attack in nature, noting that peace committee members in the area have been targeted repeatedly in the past by terrorists.
Peace committees are local groups that assist security forces in maintaining peace and opposing terrorism.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the assault.
“Cowardly acts of militants cannot shake the nation’s firm resolve against terrorism. The nation stands united to defeat the evil designs of these militants,” Naqvi said in a statement.
The attack comes amid a surge in violence in the region.
On Monday, at least seven policemen, including an officer, were killed in two separate bomb explosions in the Tank and Lakki Marwat districts near Bannu.
Last November, at least seven peace committee members were killed in Bannu when their office was attacked in a similar incident.
Terror attacks have surged in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the US-led withdrawal and the Taliban’s return, largely led by the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
TTP is an umbrella of several terror groups.
According to Pakistani military officials, more than 500 people, including over 311 soldiers, were killed in attacks, largely carried out by the TTP, last year.
