At least three policemen, including a Station House Officer (SHO), were killed when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a police patrol vehicle in the Banda Daud Shah area of Karak district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), on Thursday.
According to police, SHO Umar Nawaz was on routine patrol with two constables when their mobile came under a sudden ambush. The attackers sprayed the vehicle with bullets, leaving all three officers dead on the spot.
A spokesperson for Karak police confirmed the incident and said the attackers fled the scene immediately after the assault. Security forces later cordoned off the area and carried a search operation.
Read: K-P rocked by string of terror attacks on police
Authorities have not yet released further details on the perpetrators or the progress of the investigation.
Separately, on Tuesday, unidentified gunmen attacked a passenger vehicle in Lower Kurram, killing at least seven people in K-P. According to the police, the attackers opened fire on the passenger vehicle near Ahmad Khan Kalle and fled the scene. Kurram District Police Officer (DPO) Kurram Malik Habib stated that the attack was an attempt to sabotage peace in the area.
These recent ambushes come amid a surge in militant violence against police in K-P. In August alone, over 13 coordinated gun and grenade attacks were launched by terrorists in seven districts, killing at least six policemen. Officials described the Independence Day assaults as a direct challenge to the state’s authority.
