The Pakistani police announced that three of their members were killed on Friday near the northwestern border with Afghanistan during a shootout that also resulted in the deaths of three militants. This incident reflects an increase in violence that raises security concerns ahead of elections scheduled for early next year. The attack came two days after another armed assault in the area, which left 23 Pakistani soldiers dead in Dera Ismail Khan, near tribal areas along the Afghan border where law enforcement is scarce.
Iftikhar Shah, a police official, stated that today’s attack occurred in the neighboring Tank district and began when a gunman detonated explosives at the main entrance of the police office and a residential building before other militants stormed the location. He added, "Our security forces engaged them in a gun battle for hours," and two other police officers were injured.
Regional police chief Akhtar Hayat confirmed the deaths of three attackers, saying, "We are searching for the others, including two who were injured." A relatively unknown militant group identifying itself as Ansar al-Islam claimed responsibility for the attack, stating in a message sent to a Reuters correspondent that this was their first assault. The police have not confirmed the authenticity of this claim.