HANGU: At least seven police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were martyred and 22 others injured after terrorists attacked the Khazina Banda police checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu district, police said on Wednesday.
District Police Officer (DPO) Tariq Habib said the attack targeted the police checkpost, triggering an exchange of fire between security personnel and the attackers.
He said eight terrorists were killed and six others injured in retaliatory fire. A clearance operation was continuing in the area to eliminate any remaining militants, according to police.
What Happened During the Hangu Attack?
The DPO said DSP Diyar Khan was among the seven personnel martyred in the assault, while at least 22 police officials, including DSP Mujahid Hussain, sustained injuries.
Police said security personnel responded immediately to the attack, inflicting casualties on the militants during the exchange of fire.
Authorities have not yet released further details about the identity of the attackers or the circumstances surrounding the assault. The operation in the area remained underway at the time of reporting.
How Does the Attack Fit Into the Wider Security Situation?
The latest attack comes amid a surge in militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan since 2021.
Earlier on Wednesday, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said security forces had killed 32 militants during separate operations conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan over the previous 24 hours.
Pakistan has repeatedly called on Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks. Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February this year following what it described as continued cross-border militant attacks.
According to a recent report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan remained the country’s most violence-affected provinces during the second quarter of 2026.
The report said the two provinces accounted for nearly 96% of all violence-related fatalities during the period, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recording 475 deaths and Balochistan 265. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also recorded the highest number of violent incidents, with 151 cases, followed by Balochistan with 94.