Three police officers were martyred in a terrorist attack in the Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. According to an official statement by the Provincial Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), the militants launched a “cowardly attack on the Qazi Talaab Check Post under the cover of darkness.”

​The Hangu District Police Officer (DPO), Khan Zeb Mohmand, took the lead in the counter-operation. The police officers “stood like a solid wall against the enemy,” quickly cordoning off the area and ultimately repelling the assault.

​The officers martyred during the operation were identified as Head Constable Waheed Shah, Head Constable Hekmat Khan, and Abdul Samad. The CTD reported that the “intense fighting” between the police and the terrorists lasted for two hours.

​The militants exploited the cover of darkness and the rugged, hilly terrain to flee, reportedly taking their dead and wounded comrades with them. However, during the subsequent search operation, the body of one armed terrorist was recovered, and there are reports of multiple militants having been killed.

​​KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack and paid tribute to the martyred officers. He asserted that “Terrorists have no religion. Cowardly attacks cannot demoralize us,” and vowed that the sacrifices of the martyrs would “not go in vain.” He directed that immediate reinforcements be sent, medical aid be provided to the injured, and a report on the incident be sought from the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Mohsin Naqvi also offered condolences and praised the martyred personnel. He stated that their sacrifice is “proof of Pakistan’s unwavering resolve against terrorism,” and recognized the KP Police as the frontline force in this conflict.

​​The attack comes amid a surge in terrorist activities across Pakistan, particularly in KP and Balochistan, following the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ending its ceasefire with the government in 2022.

​This is the latest in a series of incidents in Hangu. It follows a November 2nd IED attack on a police convoy that injured three officers, and a previous incident on October 24th where an SP and two other police officers were martyred in consecutive blasts, which the TTP also claimed.