SOUTH WAZlRISTAN: A constable was injured when a police van came under attack on Thursday in the Birmal tehsil of Lower South Waziristan.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Khan Khel, the police vehicle was en route from Wana to Azam Warsak police station at the time of the incident.

The DPO said the policeman sustained a minor injury to his hand due to the firing, while the other personnel remained unharmed. Sources said that the target of the assailants appeared to be station house officer (SHO) Alamgir Mehsud, who was travelling in the van. He escaped unhurt.

Police officials said that following the ambush, police under the command of SHO Mehsud returned fire, but the attackers managed to flee the scene. Reinforcements from Azam Warsak police station soon arrived, launching a search operation in the area. However, officials confirmed that the perpetrators had already left the vicinity.

DPO Khan Khel said that this was the second such attack on a police van from Azam Warsak station this month. A similar assault occurred nearly two weeks ago in the Dana Lagad area, but the officers escaped injuries in that incident as well.

It is worth noting that incidents of terrorism have seen a noticeable surge over the past year across South Waziristan and North Waziristan. Frequent attacks have left the residents in a state of constant fear and insecurity.