Four Balochistan Levies personnel and a civilian were martyred after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the Daraban Tehsil of Dera Ismail Khan district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to sources, the attack occurred while the Levies personnel were en route to DI Khan to recover a stolen truck. The vehicle had been taken from the Khanozai area of Pishin, Balochistan, on January 13. DI Khan police had informed Levies officials in Pishin about the truck’s location, prompting the team to travel for its recovery.

However, as the Levies personnel reached Daraban, armed assailants ambushed their vehicle, opening indiscriminate fire and killing all onboard. The martyred officials were identified as Naib Risaldar Noor Ahmed, Sepoy Rashid Zaman, Sepoy Daud Khan, and Sepoy Bilal Ahmed.

Assistant Commissioner Karizat revealed that one of the Levies personnel was on a call with his family at the time of the attack, which led to officials in Pishin receiving immediate information about the assault. Meanwhile, local police reported that the victims were traveling in a government vehicle toward Islamabad. Security forces have launched an investigation and are conducting operations to apprehend the culprits.

The attack comes a day after security forces conducted an operation in the Mangochar area of Kalat district, Balochistan, killing 13 terrorists. However, the operation also resulted in the martyrdom of 18 security personnel.

The surge in violence has raised concerns over the security situation in the region, with authorities vowing swift action against militant elements.