ISLAMABAD, Jan. 4 (Xinhua) -- Three traffic police personnel were killed on Sunday in a targeted shooting attack in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police sources said.
The incident happened at about 9:45 a.m. local time (0445 GMT) when unidentified militants opened fire on traffic police officials performing routine duties in Lakki Marwat district, the sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
The attackers fled the scene after the assault, while the bodies of the slain personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital for medico-legal formalities, the sources added.
Security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the assailants, the sources said, adding that investigations into the incident were underway.
Targeted attacks against security personnel have increased in parts of the province in recent months, prompting authorities to enhance security measures in vulnerable areas, the sources noted. ■