Pakistani Security Forces Rescue 8 of 16 Abducted Mine Workers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar: Pakistani security forces on Thursday rescued eight of the 16 mine workers abducted earlier in the day by militants in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, police said.

The rescue operation, marked by a fierce gunbattle, resulted in injuries to three of the eight rescued workers, one of whom is in critical condition, security officials said.

The gunbattle occurred at the border of Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan districts while the abductors were trying to shift the captives to North Waziristan.

The rescue operation was launched hours after Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants intercepted a vehicle transporting the workers to a uranium and plutonium mining site in Lakki Marwat district, forcibly removing them at gunpoint before setting the vehicle ablaze in Qabul Khel area.

Officials said the mining project where the men worked is related to Pakistan's Atomic Energy Commission.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has strongly condemned the abduction, calling it an "extremely regrettable and unacceptable" act. He emphasised that attempts to disrupt peace in the region would not succeed and pledged the safe recovery of the remaining hostages.

Meanwhile, TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khursani issued a statement claiming the workers were not abducted to be harmed but to press for demands. He urged the government to avoid armed responses and consider their demands seriously to prevent loss of life.

The abduction highlights the deteriorating security situation in the region. In July last year, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Home Department issued a travel advisory warning government officials in Bannu Division of increased risks due to heightened terrorist activities.

The advisory noted a surge in targeted attacks on law enforcement personnel, abductions, and assassinations, particularly in Tank, Dera Ismail Khan, Lakki Marwat, and Bannu areas.

In recent months, there has been a surge in militant activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, most of which are reportedly being carried out by TTP, also known as Pakistani Taliban, an ally of the Afghan Taliban.

In August, three employees of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) were abducted from Baka Khel in Bannu.

In November, seven police officers were kidnapped from Bannu. They were later recovered after the intervention of local elders.