Two Policemen Killed in Swabi Attack as Militants Target Posts in Three KP Districts

PESHAWAR (Terror Monitor) — At least two police personnel were killed and another was wounded in an armed attack on a police patrol in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while separate militant attacks targeting police installations in Karak and Landi Kotal were also reported, highlighting continued security challenges in the volatile region.

The deadliest incident occurred in Swabi district, where armed militants opened fire on a police patrol, killing Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Waleed Khan and Constable Zulfiqar, while Head Constable Shahid sustained injuries.

According to preliminary reports, the attack took place within the jurisdiction of Mansoori police outpost, under Swabi Police Station. The outpost in-charge and accompanying personnel were on routine patrol near the Inda Cham Gohati area when unidentified armed militants opened fire on them.

The gunfire killed ASI Waleed Khan and Constable Zulfiqar at the scene, while Head Constable Shahid was wounded.

Further details regarding the attackers, their escape route and subsequent police operations were not immediately available.

Overnight attack on Karak police checkpoint

In a separate incident in Karak district, police repelled a major overnight assault on the Changhos police checkpost after heavily armed militants launched an attack under the cover of darkness.

District Police Officer (DPO) Karak Fazal Wahid said the attackers opened intense fire on the checkpoint using heavy weapons. Police personnel stationed at the post immediately returned fire, triggering an intense exchange that continued from late night until the early hours of the morning.

The prolonged gunbattle forced the attackers to retreat and flee the area. However, the heavy weapons used during the assault partially damaged the checkpoint building.

Following the attack, police launched a search operation to track down the fleeing militants. A bomb disposal unit also reportedly recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) during the subsequent search, according to local media reports.

No police casualties were reported in the initial accounts of the attack.

Hand grenade attack on Landi Kotal checkpoint

Meanwhile, unidentified attackers targeted the Charwazay police checkpost along the main Pakistan-Afghanistan highway in Landi Kotal, Khyber district, with a hand grenade.

According to police sources, the attackers threw a grenade towards the checkpoint, triggering a powerful explosion that spread fear and panic in the surrounding area.

Fortunately, no casualties were reported, and all police personnel stationed at the checkpoint remained unharmed.

The attackers reportedly escaped under the cover of darkness shortly after the explosion.

Police personnel subsequently reached the scene, cordoned off the area and began collecting evidence as part of an investigation into the attack.

Local reports said the Charwazay checkpoint had previously been targeted several times, making it one of the sensitive police installations along the strategic highway connecting Pakistan with Afghanistan.

Wider security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The attacks came amid a particularly deadly day for police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where a separate large-scale militant ambush in the Kohat region resulted in heavy casualties.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that militants ambushed police vehicles in Kohat on Wednesday, triggering an hours-long gunbattle in which at least 10 police personnel and 18 militants were killed, according to officials. Two senior police officers were among the dead.

Reuters initially reported that 11 police personnel were feared killed in the Kohat attack, citing a spokesperson for a rescue organisation.

Pakistan's Dawn newspaper subsequently reported that at least 12 police personnel were injured in a separate account of the developing Kohat incident.

The Pakistani Taliban (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP) has intensified attacks against police and security forces in the province in recent months. Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban authorities of allowing TTP militants to operate from Afghan territory, an allegation the Afghan government denies.

The latest incidents underscore the continuing security challenges facing law enforcement agencies across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly in districts bordering Afghanistan and areas affected by militant activity.