On Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2025, a coordinated bombing and gunfire attack in the northwest region of Pakistan led to the deaths of five Pakistani police officers and eight terrorists, according to provincial authorities. This incident is part of a recent resurgence of militant attacks in the country.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an Islamist militant organization also known as the Pakistani Taliban, was suspected of carrying out the attack. This group has been in armed conflict with the Pakistani government for almost two decades.
As reported by provincial police, assailants initially struck the vehicle with homemade explosives, followed by gunfire. This resulted in the death of four officers and the driver. Following the incident, security forces killed eight militants involved in the attack.
“Police have always played a frontline role in the war against terrorism,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, condemning the attack.
The attack took place in the Karak district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region with relatively few militant incidents. This comes at a time of deteriorating relations between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, with serious border clashes between the two countries. Islamabad claims that a recent surge in violent incidents in Pakistan is due to militants using Afghan territory for coordinating attacks on its security forces. However, Kabul rejects these accusations, insisting that Pakistan’s security issues are an internal matter.
District police spokesman Shaukat Khan stated that the eight militants were killed during a search operation launched after the attack, according to the local Dawn newspaper. In response, a large contingent of security forces has been dispatched to the area to pursue the terrorists.
This attack marks a continuation of the sharp rise in militant violence throughout 2024 and into 2025. There has been a significant increase in attacks targeting security forces, particularly in the northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan. Earlier this year, several incidents resulted in numerous casualties among police and military personnel, with attacks ranging from roadside bombings to coordinated assaults on security installations.
The Pakistani Taliban has ramped up operations since the cessation of a fragile ceasefire with Islamabad in late 2022. Despite sharing ideological ties, the group maintains organizational independence from Afghanistan’s Taliban government. They have exploited the porous border region to launch attacks against Pakistani targets. Intelligence officials estimate thousands of TTP fighters operate from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, though the exact numbers remain disputed.
The conflict between the TTP and Pakistani security forces dates back to 2007, when various militant factions formed the umbrella organization in response to Pakistan’s military operations in tribal areas, following the events of September 11, 2001, and the country’s alliance with the United States in the war on terrorism. Over nearly two decades, the insurgency has led to the loss of tens of thousands of lives, including civilians, security personnel, and militants.
Pakistan has launched several major military operations against the TTP, notably Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014, which temporarily weakened the group’s capabilities, forcing many fighters across the border into Afghanistan. However, the return to power of the Taliban in Kabul in 2021 fundamentally changed the situation, providing the TTP with renewed safe havens and operational space.
The strained relationship between Islamabad and Kabul has complicated counterterrorism efforts. Pakistan has repeatedly demanded that Afghanistan’s Taliban government take action against TTP sanctuaries, while Afghan officials argue they cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s internal security situation. Tensions at the border have occasionally escalated into military confrontations, with both sides trading artillery fire and accusations.
Security experts caution that without a coordinated regional approach to deal with militant sanctuaries, Pakistan is likely to experience a prolonged period of instability. The western provinces, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, are especially prone to attacks as militants exploit the difficult terrain, tribal dynamics, and cross-border mobility.
The human cost continues to rise, with police forces bearing the brunt of frontline confrontations. Tuesday’s attack in the Karak district highlights the ability of militant groups to strike even in areas previously deemed relatively secure, demonstrating their expanding operational reach and the ongoing challenges facing Pakistani security forces.