Police Officers Killed in Attack on Northwest Pakistan Post

At least 10 to 11 police officers were killed during an attack on a police checkpoint in the Hangu district of northwest Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province late Wednesday. Local authorities reported that attackers used explosive-laden quadcopters to target the post before launching an ambush. Security forces engaged in a gun battle lasting several hours, resulting in the deaths of 15 attackers.

One report states that 11 officers died and 28 were injured, including Deputy Superintendent Diyar Khan who led reinforcements to the scene. That same source notes that three police cars were set on fire and one vehicle was stolen. Another report lists the death toll at 10 officers.

No group has claimed responsibility for the raid. It follows a recent suicide bombing in the nearby Tank district, which was claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, also known as the TTP. The TTP has been waging an insurgency against the Pakistani state since 2007 to replace the government with its own form of governance.

Violence along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan has increased recently. Islamabad alleges that militants use safe havens in Afghanistan to plan attacks, while the Taliban government in Afghanistan denies these claims and describes the unrest as a domestic Pakistani problem. The two nations experienced significant fighting in February when Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan.