15 Martyred in Terror Attack on Joint Check Post in KP’s Tank

ISLAMABAD: A terrorist attack on a joint police check post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tank district martyred 15 people, including 14 security personnel, the military said in a statement on Friday.

Pakistani military said in a media statement that “On night 23/24 July 2026, a cowardly terrorist attack was carried out on Joint Police Check Post in Tank District by Khwarij belonging to Indian-sponsored, Fitna Al Khwarij”.

The assailants sought to breach the check post security; however, their nefarious designs were swiftly and decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of security forces. Displaying unwavering courage and professional excellence, troops engaged the fleeing khwarij with precision, eliminating twelve khwarij.

In their desperation, the attackers rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall. Due to blast impact, infrastructure at check post was seriously damaged, resultantly fifteen brave sons of soil including twelve military, two policemen and a government official ex forest department rendered the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat.

Sanitization operation is being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored Kharji found in the area, as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision “Azm e Istehkam” (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by Security Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country. These sacrifices of our brave soldiers further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs.

The latest attack comes amid a renewed surge in militant violence across Pakistan’s northwestern border regions, where security forces have witnessed an increase in assaults by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied militant groups since the collapse of the ceasefire between the government and the outfit in late 2022. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly its southern districts bordering Afghanistan, has emerged as one of the main theatres of the insurgency.

Pakistani authorities have consistently maintained that militant groups operating under the banner of the TTP are using sanctuaries inside Afghanistan to plan and launch attacks into Pakistan. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban administration to prevent Afghan territory from being used by armed groups against Pakistan, a demand that has remained a persistent source of friction between the two neighbouring countries.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, Pakistan has intensified intelligence-based operations and border security measures under its nationwide counterterrorism campaign, Azm-e-Istehkam. Security officials say hundreds of militants have been killed or arrested in recent operations, but acknowledge that militant networks continue to exploit difficult terrain and cross-border movement to sustain their campaign.

Analysts believe the evolving security environment has become more complex as militant groups increasingly employ sophisticated tactics, including suicide bombings, vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs), coordinated assaults on security installations, and targeted attacks on law enforcement personnel. The continuing violence has reinforced concerns over stability in Pakistan’s western border belt and underscored the challenge facing security forces in containing the insurgency.