At least 15 police officers and four civilians have been killed in a fresh wave of militant attacks across northwest Pakistan, underscoring rising insecurity in the troubled border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A senior police official in Peshawar confirmed that the deaths occurred within 48 hours during coordinated assaults targeting security personnel and civilian areas.
Two police officers were also kidnapped during the attacks and remain missing, intensifying concerns over escalating militant activity.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Claims Responsibility
Most of the attacks were claimed by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that has increased operations since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
The TTP has frequently targeted police checkpoints, patrol units, and security installations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In response, Pakistan’s military said it conducted four separate counter-terrorism operations, killing 26 militants. Security forces continue clearance missions in affected districts to prevent further violence.
Rising Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Tensions
The surge in militant attacks comes just days after Pakistani and Afghan forces exchanged fire along their porous border.
Authorities in Islamabad have accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of failing to curb militant groups operating from Afghan territory—allegations Kabul has repeatedly denied.
Cross-border tensions have fueled diplomatic strain between the two countries, with Pakistan launching targeted strikes against suspected militant hideouts across the frontier following a series of deadly suicide bombings.
Security Challenges in Northwest Pakistan
Violence has sharply increased in both Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and neighboring regions in recent months, marked by roadside bombings, ambushes, and raids.
Security analysts warn that the renewed insurgency poses a serious threat to stability in northwest Pakistan.
As counter-terrorism operations intensify, authorities remain on high alert, fearing additional reprisals from militant networks operating in the volatile border belt.
