KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – At least four Pakistani police officers were killed in two separate attacks on Sunday in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, Pakistani media reported.
Geo News, citing a police spokesperson, reported that three traffic police officers were shot dead by unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle in Lakki Marwat district. The attackers escaped after the shooting.
In a separate incident in Bannu district, another police officer was killed while on his way to work in the Mandan area after unidentified individuals opened fire, police said.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Violence has surged in Pakistan’s border regions since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Militant groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) have intensified attacks, often targeting security forces, checkpoints, and military installations.
According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), 2025 was the deadliest year for Pakistan, with a 34% rise in attacks compared with 2024. The Islamabad-based think tank recorded 699 attacks nationwide, with 95% occurring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, resulting in 1,034 deaths and 1,366 injuries.
Islamabad accuses the Taliban of sheltering and supporting the TTP and its affiliates for cross-border attacks. The Taliban denies the claims, saying no militant groups are based in Afghanistan and that Pakistan’s internal security is not its responsibility.
