Two police officers were martyred and two others injured in a suspected improvised explosive device attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district on Monday. The blast targeted a police armoured personnel carrier during a routine patrol on the Wana-Jandola Road. The attack highlights persistent security challenges facing law enforcement personnel in the province.
District Police Officer Abdul Samad said the explosion occurred at around 1:00pm near Masha Jan Bungalow in Grah Hayat village, within the limits of Shaheed Mureed Akbar Police Station. Police said initial investigations suggested a remote-controlled improvised explosive device caused the blast. Authorities immediately shifted the injured officers and the bodies of the deceased to the District Headquarters Hospital in Tank.
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The martyred officers were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Fareedullah and Constable Akhtar Zaman. The injured officers, Constables Abdul Malik and Qudratullah, are receiving medical treatment. Following the attack, police placed the district on high alert and launched a search operation to arrest those responsible.
Terrorist violence has increased across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in recent years. Security forces have intensified counterterrorism operations against militant groups operating near the Afghan border. The federal government has repeatedly raised concerns at international forums over terrorist sanctuaries allegedly operating from Afghan territory.
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The latest attack follows several recent security incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Earlier this month, security forces foiled two sabotage attempts in Bannu targeting a girls’ school and a key bridge. On June 20, at least seven people were also killed after a passenger vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in the region.