Pakistan’s security forces repelled a militant assault on a joint police check post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, killing 12 attackers as the country mourns 15 martyred personnel.
Tank, Pakistan – Web Desk: Security forces killed 12 militants belonging to the India-backed Fitna Al Khwarij network after repelling a terrorist attack on a joint police check post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district, Pakistan’s military media wing said on Friday.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the assault unfolded overnight between July 23 and July 24, when a group of militants attempted to storm the check post. Alert troops responded swiftly, foiling the militants’ initial attempt to breach the facility’s defences before the situation escalated further.
According to the ISPR, security forces pursued the fleeing attackers and eliminated 12 of them during the ensuing exchange of fire. Unable to achieve their objective through direct assault, the remaining militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the check post, triggering a powerful blast.
The explosion caused extensive damage to the check post’s infrastructure and resulted in the martyrdom of 15 people. Those killed included 12 military personnel, two policemen and one official from the former forest department who happened to be present at the site, the military statement said.
The incident is the latest in a series of militant strikes targeting security installations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that has witnessed a resurgence of cross-border-linked violence in recent months. Authorities have repeatedly accused India of sponsoring militant proxies operating under banners such as Fitna Al Khwarij to destabilise the region, though these claims have not been independently verified by neutral international bodies.
In its statement, the ISPR said a sanitisation operation was underway in the surrounding area to clear any remaining threats and ensure no attackers escaped the security cordon. Additional troops were reported to have been moved into the area as part of the response.
The military reaffirmed that security forces and law enforcement agencies would continue counterterrorism operations under the “Azm-e-Istehkam” campaign, a nationwide initiative approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan to eliminate what it describes as foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country.
The ISPR paid tribute to the slain personnel, stating that their sacrifices had further strengthened the resolve of Pakistan’s armed forces and law enforcement agencies to defeat terrorism. Officials said the incident would not deter ongoing operations against militant networks active in the region.
