A large-scale operation is currently underway in Lakki Marwat district, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), to rescue at least nine factory workers who were kidnapped by terrorists for ransom. The hostages were seized from the Kabal Khel area by militants linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group also known as Fitna al-Khwarij. The workers, part of a government mining project, were traveling on Darra Tang Road when they were intercepted and abducted.
Police spokesperson Shahid Marwat confirmed that the kidnappers set the workers’ van on fire before fleeing the scene with 17 hostages. The workers included a range of staff, from senior officers to junior assistants, all of whom were involved in the project. The authorities acted swiftly, recovering eight of the workers, though three sustained minor injuries. The search for the remaining hostages continues.
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This incident has heightened tensions in the region, as protests erupted across villages in Lakki Marwat following the kidnappings. Locals voiced their anger and demanded swift action against the perpetrators. At the same time, K-P’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) reported a successful operation in the Malang Adda area, where three terrorists linked to the TTP were killed in a confrontation with security forces.
The ongoing operation and the recovery of hostages have brought some relief, but the authorities remain focused on bringing the remaining workers to safety. The situation remains tense as the search continues, with security forces on high alert.
