A large-scale operation is ongoing in Lakki Marwat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) to rescue nine civilian factory workers kidnapped by terrorists for ransom from the Kabal Khel area. Police reported that the workers were part of a government project and were abducted by terrorists linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also referred to as Fitna al-Khwarij.
The incident occurred on Thursday when 17 workers, including a driver, were traveling in a minibus on Darra Tang Road. Armed men stopped the vehicle, abducted the workers, and set the van on fire. According to police spokesperson Shahid Marwat, the victims were involved in a mining project and were taken at gunpoint during their journey.
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Authorities have launched a massive rescue operation, recovering eight of the kidnapped workers so far, three of whom sustained minor injuries. The search continues for the remaining hostages. The police and security forces are working together to ensure their safe recovery.
Medical staff at the District Headquarters Hospital confirmed treating three of the rescued workers. In response to the kidnapping, protests were sparked across local villages, with announcements made from mosques to raise awareness about the incident.
The abduction follows an intelligence-based operation by the K-P Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), in which three TTP terrorists were killed. The militants were identified as Shafeeq Nawaz, Muhammad Mujahid alias Jihadyar, and Fidaur Rehman.
