At least 15 security personnel and a government official were martyred after militants belonging to what Pakistan’s military described as the “Indian-sponsored Fitna al Khwarij” attacked a joint police check post in Tank district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa late on Thursday, the military’s media wing said.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attackers attempted to overrun the joint check post but were repelled by security forces, who launched a counter-operation and killed 12 militants as they pursued the fleeing assailants.
The ISPR said the attackers later rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the check post, triggering a powerful blast that caused extensive damage to the facility.
The military said those martyred included 12 army personnel, two police officers and one Forest Department official.
A sanitisation operation is continuing in the area to clear any remaining militants, the ISPR said.
“The relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istehkam by the security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country,” the statement said.
The military added that the sacrifices of the fallen personnel reaffirm the country’s commitment to combating terrorism.
Following the attack, Tank Deputy Commissioner Jamshed Khan imposed Section 144 across the district and announced a district-wide curfew. Under the order, public movement has been restricted from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. until further notice due to the prevailing security situation.