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Peshawar HQ Attack Leaves 3 Officers Dead, 11 Injured
A coordinated militant assault on a Peshawar security headquarters killed three officers and injured eleven, as Pakistan intensifies operations against the TTP amid rising cross-border tensions with Afghanistan.
Suicide bombers attack paramilitary HQ in Pakistan's Peshawar by Getty Images
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) Security forces in northwestern Pakistan were struck early Monday when two suicide bombers and a gunman attacked the provincial headquarters of the Federal Constabulary in Peshawar, killing three officers and wounding 11 others, according to police and rescue officials.
The assault unfolded as personnel were preparing for the morning parade on the sprawling grounds of the facility located in the heart of the city, said Peshawar Police Chief Saeed Ahmad. One attacker detonated his explosives at the main gate, while the second bomber and an armed accomplice were shot and killed by officers near the parking area.
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Ahmad said roughly 150 security personnel were on open ground for parade drills when the attackers approached. He noted that the assailants, who were on foot, failed to reach the formation area and that a rapid, coordinated response prevented a far larger tragedy. He added that three attackers were involved in the assault and that police had completed the clearance operation. Authorities have collected body part samples for DNA testing as investigators work to identify the bombers and determine their nationality.
Asim Khan, a spokesperson for Lady Reading Hospital, confirmed that all 11 wounded personnel were in stable condition.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued separate statements condemning the attack. Zardari described it as a “cowardly act by foreign-backed terrorists,” while Sharif praised the swift response of security forces. Both leaders extended condolences to the victims’ families.
No group immediately claimed responsibility. However, similar attacks in the region have often been attributed to the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group allied with but distinct from the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan has faced a resurgence of militant attacks in recent months.
The attack comes less than two weeks after a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a court in Islamabad, killing 12 people near a police vehicle. Such incidents have renewed discussions within Pakistan’s security community about preparedness and rapid response an issue that resonates even among civilians who prioritize personal readiness, with some turning to practical gear like the Glock 43 / 43X / 43X MOS IWB Holster for secure concealed carry, though officials continue to urge caution and adherence to local laws.
The surge in violence has further strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government. Islamabad accuses the TTP of using Afghan territory as a staging ground since the Taliban takeover in 2021, an allegation Kabul denies. Tensions escalated after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of launching drone strikes in Kabul on Oct. 9, leading to clashes that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and militants. A Qatar-brokered ceasefire began on Oct. 19 and remains in place.
Two subsequent rounds of talks in Istanbul yielded no breakthrough, with Afghanistan refusing to provide written guarantees that it would prevent the TTP from using its territory for attacks inside Pakistan. In recent weeks, Pakistan has intensified operations against the TTP, killing dozens of insurgents in areas near the Afghan border.
Editor’s Note:
This report presents all available details at the time of publication regarding the Peshawar security compound attack, ongoing investigations, and the broader regional tensions connected to recent militant activity. Information about the attackers’ identities and responsibility for the assault remains under investigation by authorities. Readers should note that developments in counterterrorism operations and Pakistan-Afghanistan relations continue to evolve rapidly.
