Peshawar: At least 11 police personnel were killed and 12 others injured after gunmen ambushed a police team in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday. The police personnel were attacked while travelling through Kohat district as part of an operation against illegal gold mining.
The ambush took place in the Darbokach Jalandhar Banda area, between Kohat and Karak, where gunmen opened fire from surrounding hilltops. Among those killed were Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Haider Zaman and Sub-Inspector Mukhtiar.
Attack From Hilltops
The assailants targeted the police convoy as it moved toward the mining site, firing from elevated positions in the surrounding hills. Several police vehicles were damaged in the attack, while five police mobile vehicles were set on fire, as reported by India Today.
Kohat police spokesperson Muhammad Nauman Zeb said the attackers continued firing at the personnel, triggering a heavy exchange of gunfire. Reinforcements were rushed to the area as police and security forces attempted to contain the attackers.
The scale of the assault prompted authorities to send additional vehicles and a heavy contingent to the scene.
Security was placed on high alert in the surrounding area as reinforcements moved in. An emergency was also declared at the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital to treat the injured personnel.
Governor Seeks Action
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi strongly condemned the attack and expressed grief over the deaths of the police personnel. He described the assault as a highly condemnable and cowardly act, paid tribute to the slain officers, and extended condolences to their families.
The governor sought a detailed report from police authorities and directed officials to ensure that those responsible for the attack were brought to justice. He said the sacrifices made by police personnel in the fight against terrorism and criminal elements were a “source of pride for the entire nation and would never go in vain”.
Repeated Police Attacks
The Kohat ambush is the latest in a series of attacks targeting police and security personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months. On October 8, Station House Officer Daud Khan and his gunman, Farhad, were killed when armed men opened fire on a police patrol near the Karak-Kohat boundary.
Earlier, on September 28, three traffic police personnel were killed after unidentified gunmen attacked their vehicle in Tank district. On September 25, Counter-Terrorism Department Constable Muhammad Afaq was killed and three other personnel injured during an intelligence-based operation against suspected suicide attackers in Peshawar’s Garhi Sherdad area.
One of the deadliest recent attacks took place on September 18, when a blast followed by an assault at Kohat Police Lines killed 15 police personnel among 23 people. Eight attackers were killed during the subsequent clearance operation.
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