Pakistan: TTP militants abduct 16 atomic energy commission workers; eight rescued

Islamabad, Jan 10 (IANS) In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reportedly abducted 16 employees of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC). Local police launched an immediate search operation, successfully rescuing eight of the hostages.

The incident occurred in Lakki Marwat district, a region often plagued by militant activity.

The workers, commuting to the Qabul Khel Atomic Energy mining project, were ambushed by heavily-armed militants. After seizing the hostages at gunpoint, the attackers set their vehicle ablaze and fled the scene.

Local police rescued eight of the hostages. However, three of those freed sustained injuries during the operation, with one in critical condition. Efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining captives.

The TTP has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping and released a video featuring the abducted workers. In the footage, some hostages appealed to authorities to secure their release by complying with the group's demands, which reportedly include freeing TTP prisoners held in Pakistani jails. Independent verification of the video or the militants' claims remains pending.

The abducted workers were engaged in mining projects under the PAEC, an organisation focussed on advancing peaceful nuclear applications in sectors like energy, agriculture, and medicine.

The incident underscores the persistent threat faced by government personnel and civilian workers in areas frequently targeted by insurgent groups.

This abduction comes amid a broader wave of militant activity in Pakistan. Just a day earlier, separatist militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) staged an assault in Balochistan, targeting government offices and a bank in a remote district. While no casualties were reported, the attack reflects the rising intensity of insurgent operations across the country.

Pakistani authorities allege that both the TTP and Baloch insurgents operate from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, a claim denied by Kabul. The TTP, designated a global terrorist organisation by the United Nations, has been described in recent assessments as Afghanistan's largest militant group, with thousands of fighters active in the region.