On the night of August 14, 2025, a wave of coordinated militant attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province in Pakistan resulted in the martyrdom of six law enforcement officers and injuries to eight more. The attacks, spanning multiple districts, underscore the persistent security challenges facing the region.
The most significant incident occurred in Upper Dir district, where a Quick Response Force (QRF) van was ambushed in the Panakot area. Three police officers – Akbar Hussain, Nasr Minullah, and the driver Ismail – were killed instantly. Six others, including police and Frontier Constabulary personnel, sustained injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment. The attackers used automatic weapons in the ambush.
Simultaneously, militants launched attacks on three separate police posts in Lower Dir’s Maidan subdivision: Lajbok, Shadas, and Kolal Dherai. One constable was martyred in the Lajbok attack, while another suffered minor injuries in the assault on the Shadas post. The attack on Kolal Dherai was repelled without casualties.
Further south, in Kurram district, Qaisar Hussain, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Roza Police Station, was martyred in an exchange of fire during an intelligence-based operation targeting Abid Hussain, alias Tehran Turi, a known militant leader with a history of involvement in violent acts, including the Bagan incident of November 2024. Turi, a trained fighter, had reportedly fled to Syria after sectarian clashes in Kurram in 2007.
In a separate incident in Lower South Waziristan, a Frontier Corps (FC) official was martyred when a patrolling party came under attack. Security forces responded by cordoning off the area and launching a search operation.
An attack near Dambra Chowk on Chawga-Shekoli Road in Shangla district was thwarted by law enforcement. Militants opened fire but were repelled by police, retreating after injuring two accomplices.
In Lakki Marwat, police reported repelling a militant attack on a police post in the Mazanga area of Bannu district. The attackers used both light and heavy weapons, but were forced to flee after an exchange of fire.
Finally, in Swabi district, a grenade attack on the Bamkhel police post injured a police officer and a cook.
The attacks on Hassan Khel Police Station, located on the border between Peshawar and Kohat districts, and the Adezai Post, highlight the vulnerability of even relatively well-defended positions. While the Adezai Post successfully repelled a shorter attack, the prolonged three-hour assault on Hassan Khel underscores the determination and tactical capabilities of the militant groups. The area has been a focal point for counter-terrorism operations in recent times. The multiple, coordinated nature of the attacks suggests a well-planned and organized operation by militant groups.
