At least 12 Pakistani policemen were killed following a car bombing targeting a police post in the northwestern city of Bannu, according to local security officials.
The attack was followed by an armed confrontation with militants in the area, highlighting the continuing security challenges facing Pakistan’s northwestern regions near the Afghan border.
A senior police officer said the blast struck a police position in Bannu before militants engaged security personnel in a subsequent exchange of fire.
Officials initially feared additional casualties, though the officer later confirmed that three personnel were found alive and transferred to the hospital for medical treatment.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
Bannu, located in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has experienced repeated militant violence in recent years as security forces continue counterterrorism operations against armed groups operating near the Afghan frontier.
Pakistan has witnessed a resurgence in militant attacks since the return of the Taliban to power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021, with security forces, police installations, and government facilities increasingly targeted across northwestern regions.
The country’s military and police have intensified operations against militant networks amid growing concerns over cross-border infiltration and regional instability.
Security analysts say attacks targeting police infrastructure have become increasingly frequent as militant groups attempt to weaken local security presence and destabilize vulnerable regions.
The latest incident adds to mounting pressure on Pakistani authorities as the country simultaneously navigates political uncertainty, economic challenges, and rising security threats.
The attack also highlights broader regional concerns around militancy and border security across South Asia following shifts in Afghanistan’s security landscape over recent years.
Authorities have launched investigations into the bombing while security operations continue in and around the affected area.
