Two personnel of the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Scouts were martyred and another injured when terrorists launched an armed assault on a security checkpoint along the Karakoram Highway (KKH) in Diamer district during the early hours of Friday, according to officials.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Diamer, Abdul Hameed, said the assailants targeted the checkpoint near Chilas at approximately 12:15 am, firing from an elevated hilltop position. At the time of the attack, nine GB Scouts personnel were stationed at the post.
Three soldiers sustained injuries in the incident, of whom two later succumbed to their wounds. The martyred men were identified as Naib Subedar Khush Dad and Havaldar Ashraf, while Lance Naik Sajid Ali, who suffered an abdominal injury, is under treatment and reported to be out of danger. The injured were shifted to the Regional Headquarters Hospital in Chilas.
Following the incident, police teams led by the deputy inspector general and district police officer reached the scene within 20 minutes. Security personnel recovered two grenades, 10 spent shells, and documented 17 bullet impacts at the checkpoint.
The attackers managed to flee after the assault, prompting security reinforcements including the Elite Force to be dispatched to the area. Raids are now underway to trace and apprehend the culprits, though no group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
GB Interior Minister Shamsul Haq Lone strongly condemned the assault, describing it as an attempt to undermine the region’s peace. He confirmed that a large contingent of security forces swiftly secured the area and expanded the search operation. The minister emphasized that the GB government would relentlessly pursue the terrorists and ensure they face justice.
GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan has ordered immediate action against those behind the incident. He labeled the assault as a “cowardly attack” aimed at destabilizing the region.
The checkpoint itself had been established on December 2, 2023, following a similar deadly ambush on a passenger bus in Diamer that left nine people dead and 21 others injured.
The latest incident follows a pattern of sporadic militant activity in Diamer district. Just last month, on July 21, armed men martyred a Federal Constabulary soldier at a forest checkpoint along the KKH. The recurrence of such attacks underscores the persistent security challenges in the mountainous region and highlights the ongoing threat posed by militants to both local residents and security forces.
