Two policemen killed, two injured in suspected IED attack in K-P's Tank

Two police officers were killed and two others injured when a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) targeted a police armoured personnel carrier (APC) on the Wana-Jandola road in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district on Monday, Tank District Police Officer (DPO) Abdul Samad said.

According to the Tank Police Reporting Centre, the blast occurred at around 1:00pm near Masha Jan Bungalow in Grah Hayat village, within the jurisdiction of Shaheed Mureed Akbar Police Station, while the police vehicle was on a routine patrol.

The deceased officers were identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Fareedullah and Constable Akhtar Zaman. The injured officers, Constables Abdul Malik and Qudratullah, were shifted along with the bodies of the deceased to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Tank.

Initial findings suggested the explosion was caused by a remote-controlled IED, police said. Following the attack, police placed the district on high alert and launched a search operation to trace those responsible.

Dera Ismail Khan District Police Officer (DPO) Ziauddin Ahmed visited the injured police personnel at a hospital in Dera Ismail Khan, according to a Dera Ismail Khan Police spokesperson.

He also directed the hospital administration to ensure there was no negligence in the treatment of the injured personnel and instructed that all available resources be utilised to provide them with the best possible medical care.

According to the spokesperson, DPO Ahmed said police officers were "protectors of the nation" and that safeguarding their lives and ensuring they received the best treatment remained the department's top priority.

In a separate incident, a police constable was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Kafshi Khel Babo Jan area of Bannu, police said.

The deceased was identified as Constable Ziaullah, who was posted as a driver at Bannu City Police Station. According to police, the officer was returning home after completing his duty when unidentified assailants opened fire on him.

Terrorism has significantly increased in K-P and Balochistan in the past few years. The rise in terrorist activity has led to growing concerns over the security situation in these regions. In response, security forces have been conducting intensive operations to counter the threat, targeting terrorist groups infiltrating from the Afghan border.

Also Read: Two major sabotage attempts foiled in Bannu

The federal government has been consistently raising its voice on international forums against terrorist sanctuaries operating in Afghanistan and using its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan — a development attested to by the United Nations Security Council.

The recent incidents in K-P reflect the continued security challenges faced by the region.

On 3 July, unidentified attackers carried out two separate acts of sabotage in Bannu district, targeting a government girls’ middle school and a key link bridge.

Explosives planted inside the Government Girls Middle School in Mama Khel damaged parts of the building, cracking classroom walls and shattering windows and doors.

In a separate incident in Bachki area of Jani Khel, militants planted a drum filled with explosives beneath an important bridge, apparently attempting to disrupt transport links. Security forces and the Bomb Disposal Unit defused the device before it could cause damage.

Earlier, on 20 June, at least seven people were killed when a passenger vehicle was targeted in an IED attack in the region.