Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility for killing ten police officers – DW – October 25, 2024

At least 10 Pakistani security forces were killed when their outpost came under attack, AFP and Reuters news agencies reported on Friday.

The attack occurred late Thursday near the northwestern town of Dera Ismail Khan. Reuters reported that the attack was confirmed by Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, the chief minister of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

What is known about the attack?

“The fierce exchange of fire lasted almost an hour. Ten border police personnel died and seven were injured in the attack,” a senior intelligence officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Around 20 to 25 militants are said to have been involved in the attack around 70 kilometers east of the Afghan border.

The Pakistani Taliban claim responsibility

The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement, saying it was in retaliation for the killing of senior leader Ustad Qureshi.

According to the Pakistan military, Qureshi was among nine militants killed in a military operation in Bajaur district

There has been a rise in militant attacks in Pakistan since the Afghan Taliban came to power in 2021. The Pakistani group – which has pledged allegiance to its Afghan counterpart but has its own command structure – carries out attacks mainly targeting security forces.

The TTP has historical roots in Afghanistan and shares the same ideology as the Afghan Taliban.

Islamabad says the TTP is using Afghanistan as a base and believes the ruling Taliban government gave the group sanctuary near the border, something the Afghan Taliban have denied.

In September, Pakistan's permanent representative to the United Nations, Munir Akram, warned the Security Council that the TTP could soon become the “spearhead of global terror targets” and align with groups such as al-Qaeda.

kb/wd (AFP, Reuters)