In a disturbing incident, suspected militants kidnapped four individuals, including an army officer, in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of northwest Pakistan, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The kidnapping occurred on Wednesday when Lt. Col. Khalid Khan was attending his father’s funeral and sitting in a mosque to receive mourners. Alongside him, his two brothers, who are also government officers, and a nephew were abducted.
While no group has claimed responsibility for the abductions, the region is a known stronghold of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group allied with the Afghan Taliban. However, such kidnappings, particularly of military personnel, are rare in the region.
Local police official Ikram Ullah stated that efforts are underway to locate and recover the kidnapped individuals, but no further details were provided.
This incident follows closely on the heels of a deadly attack by Baloch separatists, allies of the TTP, in Balochistan province. The attack, which took place days earlier, resulted in the deaths of over 50 people, including 14 security personnel.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit Balochistan later today for a briefing on ongoing military operations against insurgents in the region. The recent events underscore the rising security challenges in Pakistan’s restive northwest and southwest regions.
