At least 15 people, including 14 security personnel, were martyred in a terrorist attack on a joint police checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Tank district early Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
According to the military's media wing, terrorists belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij attempted to storm the checkpost but were met with a swift and effective response by security forces, who foiled the assault.
ISPR said troops launched an immediate counter-operation and killed 12 terrorists while pursuing the fleeing attackers.
The military said the assailants later rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the checkpost, triggering a massive blast that caused extensive damage to the facility.
The explosion martyred 12 military personnel, two police officials and one Forest Department official, who embraced martyrdom in the line of duty.
A sanitisation operation is underway to eliminate any remaining terrorists in the area.
ISPR reaffirmed that Pakistan's counterterrorism campaign under the Azm-i-Istehkam vision, approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, will continue with full force to eliminate foreign-sponsored terrorism.
"The sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our unwavering resolve to safeguard the nation at all costs," the military's media wing said.
The attack comes amid ongoing counterterrorism operations across the country. Last month, one soldier was martyred while 14 terrorists linked to Fitna al Hindustan were killed during an intelligence-based operation in Balochistan's Basima area.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence in recent years. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security Report 2025, fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increased from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.
