File photo of a Taliban fighter in Afghanistan | Photo credit: AP
Five Pakistani policemen were killed on Tuesday (Dec 23, 2025) when their van was ambushed in a bomb and shooting attack in the country’s northwest, provincial police said, as Pakistan grapples with a resurgence of militant violence.
The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist militant group, later claimed responsibility for the attack. The group waged war against the Pakistani state for nearly 20 years.
Provincial police said the vehicle was first targeted with improvised explosive devices before the attackers opened fire, killing four police officers and the driver. They later said security forces killed eight militants involved.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said, “The police have always played a leading role in the war against terrorism.
The attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Karak district, a region relatively untouched by militant attacks, came as relations between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan collapsed following a wave of violence.
The country is struggling to maintain a ceasefire following the worst border clashes since the Taliban came to power in October, with Islamabad blaming the rise in militancy on groups using Afghan soil to plan their attacks.
Kabul denies the allegations, saying Pakistan’s security is an internal issue.
Published – 23 Dec 2025 22:40 IST
