Taliban’s Geedar group behind firing on PIA’s Peshawar flight, say officials

The Tariq Geedar group of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was behind the gun attack on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight in Peshawar that left a woman passenger dead and two crew members wounded, security officials said.

They said the group was based in Darra Adamkhel and was headed by one Khalfa.

“We have some important leads,” claimed an official.

He said that the roof of a school in Suliemankhel, an area near Peshawar, was used for targeting the Airbus when it was landing at the Bacha Khan International Airport late on Tuesday night.

The school was closed for summer vacation and its watchman was absent from duty, the official said. He said assailants had affixed an extra barrel to an AK-47 rifle to enhance its fire range and used tracer bullets to ensure that they hit the target.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up in and around the airport following the incident. Officials said additional police personnel had been deployed in the funnel area, including Sheikh Muhammadi and Mashogagar.

Police are patrolling the Pishtakhara road round the clock.

The military has provided eight more units of the Quick Response Force to the district administration in case of any major incident or threat of terrorism.

“With these additional security measures, operations at the Bacha Khan International Airport have now been fully restored,” an official said.

Police have released over 200 people who were picked up for questioning from Nodeh Bala, Pishtakhara and Suliemankhel areas after the attack. It is said that the scope of investigation has been expanded following some leads from intelligence agencies.

Meanwhile, the corps commander of Peshawar ordered immediate evacuation of a family stranded in Miramshah. The order came following reports that a family of 10, including children, was stuck in Dandy Darpakhel after the truck that was supposed to bring them out broke down halfway.

The head of the family, Sifatullah, telephoned reporters and called for help.