10 police, 18 militants killed in Pakistan’s northwest

On Wednesday, gunmen attacked a police convoy in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan, while they were returning from a gold mining operation, resulting in the deaths of 10 officers and 18 militants, according to a provincial police statement. Twelve police personnel sustained injuries during the ensuing firefight.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attacks across the country, including the Gumbat area. During the clashes, two police vehicles were set on fire, and two other vehicles along with a private vehicle went missing.

Separately, 10 militants belonging to the TTP were killed in an operation in the Orakzai area of Kohat, and a large quantity of weapons was recovered from the militants, as per a senior administrative official.

Pakistan has been grappling with a surge in militancy, which officials blame on Afghanistan, a claim denied by the Taliban government. Relations between the two nations have been tense following deadly border clashes in October 2021, which led to a near-total closure of the border. The conflict has resurfaced, with Pakistan declaring an "open war" on Afghanistan.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, expressing sorrow over the loss of police lives and stating that Pakistan remains committed to eradicating terrorism. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar expressed deep grief over the incident.

In a separate incident earlier this month, militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assassinated two police officers who were assigned to protect a polio vaccination team near the Afghan border. Kohat province was placed under emergency rule last month due to the failure of the provincial government to combat militancy. The imposition of emergency measures sidelined the last stronghold of power for former Prime Minister Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, leading to a province-wide crackdown on Khan's supporters.