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Militants Kill Three Police Officers in Hangu Checkpoint Attack

11:30 AM, 11/27/2025
Militants Kill Three Police Officers in Hangu Checkpoint Attack

Gunmen attacked a roadside police checkpoint in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing three officers before fleeing; police returned fire and launched a search for the attackers. Authorities suspect the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), though no group has claimed responsibility. The assault follows a recent deadly attack on security forces in Peshawar and coincides with rising cross-border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over militant safe havens.

A group of gunmen armed with assault rifles attacked a roadside police checkpoint overnight in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing three officers before fleeing, police said. Officers at the checkpoint returned fire as the assailants withdrew.

District Police Chief Khan Zeb said authorities launched an immediate search and a formal investigation to track down the attackers. It was not immediately clear whether any of the assailants were wounded or killed during the exchange of fire.

Although no group has claimed responsibility, officials said suspicion will likely fall on the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has been blamed for similar strikes in recent years. The assault comes days after two suicide bombers and a gunman attacked the headquarters of security forces in Peshawar, killing three officers and wounding 11 others.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi praised the slain officers for their "bravery and sacrifice," saying police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa play a vital role in confronting militant networks.

In a separate incident in southwestern Balochistan, an explosive device detonated outside a house in Bolan district on Wednesday, killing three children, police official Jan Mohammad Khosa said. Authorities continue to investigate that blast.

Pakistan has seen a resurgence of militant attacks in recent years. Islamabad frequently attributes these strikes to the TTP, an outlawed group that is distinct from but reportedly allied with Afghanistan's Taliban leadership. The uptick in violence has strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad accusing the TTP of finding safe havens across the border since the Taliban takeover in 2021—an allegation Kabul denies.

Tensions escalated after a drone strike on Oct. 9 that triggered explosions in Kabul; clashes that followed left dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead before a Qatar-brokered ceasefire took effect on Oct. 19 and remains in place. Local and regional investigators say continued cooperation will be critical to preventing further cross-border attacks.

Abdul Sattar in Quetta contributed to this report.

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