Seven police officers killed in fresh militant assault on Pakistan checkpoint
At least 15 people, including seven police officers and eight suspected militants, were killed in a late-night attack on a security checkpoint in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to local authorities.
The attack took place on Wednesday evening in Hangu district, Geo News reported, citing District Police Officer Tariq Habib. Authorities said an additional 22 police personnel were wounded in the assault, prompting security forces to launch a clearance operation in the area.
No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
The latest violence comes just days after another deadly assault on a security checkpoint in Tank district, also in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where unidentified militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the facility.
According to Pakistan’s military, the attack on Friday killed 15 people, including soldiers, police officers, and other government personnel, while security forces said they killed 12 militants during the ensuing operation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence in recent years. Pakistani authorities have repeatedly blamed the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for many of the attacks.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused militants of operating from Afghan territory, an allegation the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has consistently denied.
