Attack on Pakistani Police Patrol Vehicle Leaves Seven Dead Near Afghan Border
Pakistani media have reported that an attack on a police patrol vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province resulted in the deaths of seven people, including six police officers and one civilian, with four others injured. The incident occurred today, Tuesday, February 23, in the Kohat district near the border with Afghanistan.
According to Geo News, three police officers died at the scene, while two others and one civilian were killed after being taken to the hospital. Pakistani police stated that the attackers ambushed the security forces’ vehicle in a remote area and set it on fire.
Local officials said the injured were transferred to medical centers and are receiving treatment. So far, no individual or group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi, attributed the incident to what he called the “fitna of the Kharijites,” a term used by Pakistani authorities to refer to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The attack comes amid rising tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban administration over TTP’s presence and activities in Afghanistan. Following several deadly attacks in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu, Pakistan struck seven locations in the Paktika and Nangarhar provinces on Saturday night.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information claimed these attacks targeted TTP and ISIS camps and hideouts. However, the Taliban administration stated that a religious school and residential homes were hit, resulting in the deaths of 17 civilians, including 11 children, in Nangarhar.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also confirmed that at least 13 civilians were killed and seven others injured in these strikes. The increase in such incidents has raised questions about border security management and the prevention of armed groups’ activities within Afghanistan’s territory.
