Militant attack on Pakistani checkpoint kills 15 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

An armed assault in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province erupted on Tuesday, leaving several security personnel dead and prompting a swift response from local authorities. The attack, which targeted a police checkpoint near the provincial capital, was carried out by heavily armed gunmen who opened fire before retreating into the surrounding hills. Emergency services transported the wounded to nearby hospitals, while police cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt for the perpetrators. The incident follows a pattern of recent violence in the region, underscoring the heightened security challenges faced by the province.

The assault comes just days after a separate deadly clash in the same border province, an encounter that authorities attribute to an escalating wave of attacks by militants operating from neighbouring Afghanistan. Officials have warned that the porous frontier allows insurgent groups to move freely, facilitating cross‑border raids and destabilising the area. In response, the provincial government has pledged to intensify patrols, strengthen intelligence cooperation with Afghan counterparts, and increase resources for counter‑terrorism operations to curb the growing threat.