Photo courtesy of Anadolu
At least nine police officers were killed after armed attackers stormed a security checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, authorities said on Thursday.
The assault took place Wednesday night in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the country’s border with Afghanistan. Police said 28 officers were also wounded during the exchange of gunfire.
Security forces returned fire, killing 15 of the suspected attackers, according to provincial police.
Authorities blamed the assault on Fitna al Khawarij, the government’s term for militants linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group that has repeatedly targeted security forces and government facilities.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and extended his condolences to the families of the slain officers.
Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and neighboring Balochistan in recent months, with security forces frequently coming under assault in both provinces.
