On Tuesday, December 12, a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at the main gate of a police station in northwest Pakistan, causing significant casualties and structural damage.
The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 23 security officers and injuries to 32 others, with the toll expected to rise as several officers remain in critical condition.
The attack occurred in the city of Dera Ismail Khan in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. This province has been known as a former stronghold of the militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Authorities identified the attackers as members of Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a newly formed group believed to be an offshoot of the TTP. TJP claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was targeting officers at the station.
The assault began with the suicide bombing and was followed by a prolonged shootout. Six militants engaged in a fierce gunfight with security forces, which lasted several hours before the attackers were neutralized. Additionally, the military reported that 27 insurgents were killed in multiple operations in the same region.
The Daraban police station, targeted in the attack, had a substantial presence of security forces from across the country. These forces were conducting intelligence-based operations against militants in the area, working in conjunction with local police.
Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi condemned the attack, expressing condolences to the families of the “martyred” officers and affirming that their sacrifices would not be in vain. He emphasized that such attacks could not weaken the resolve of the security forces. Similarly, Pakistan’s caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti denounced the attack as an act of terrorism.
This escalation in violence is not isolated. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen a surge in militant activity this year, with several deadly incursions. In January, a suicide bomber disguised as a policeman attacked a mosque in Peshawar, killing at least 101 people, mainly police officers.
The Pakistani Taliban, closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, have intensified their attacks on security forces since 2022. Authorities suggest that the insurgents have grown bolder while residing openly in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Dera Ismail Khan is located close to South Waziristan, a former sanctuary for militants. Following an attack on an army-run school in 2014, which resulted in the deaths of over 150 people, mostly school children, the Pakistan army has conducted multiple operations against militants in this region.
