Two policemen killed, three injured in Pakistan terror attack

Terrorists kill two policemen in grenade attack on police checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan; violence surges in 2024

Terrorists hurled grenades at a police checkpost in Pakistan's restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province on Tuesday (December 17 2024), killing at least two policemen and injuring three, police said.

The terror attack took place in the Chakesar area in the mountainous Shangla district. The terrorist threw the hand grenade and opened fire on the check-post before fleeing the scene, officials said. Two policemen were killed and three others wounded in the terrorist grenade attack on the police checkpost in Chakesar, police said.

The injured police officers were immediately transported to a hospital in Battagram, they added.

However, no one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Terrorist attacks have been rampant in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, targeting especially the law enforcement and security forces. The third quarter (July-September) of 2024 saw a sharp increase in fatalities of terrorist violence and counter-terrorism campaigns, with a 90% surge in violence, according to a report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

A total of 722 people were killed, including civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, while 615 others were wounded in as many as 328 incidents recorded during the period under review.

Nearly 97% of these fatalities occurred in Khyber and Balochistan — marking the highest percentage in a decade, and over 92% of these incidents of terror attacks and security forces’ operations were recorded in the same provinces.

The total fatalities from three quarters of this year have now surpassed the total fatalities recorded for the entire 2023; the number of fatalities rose to at least 1,534 in the first three quarters compared to 1,523 in 2023.

Meanwhile, terrorist groups continue to reorganise and beef up their ranks. Most of the terror attacks remained unclaimed by terrorist or insurgent groups, likely for tactical reasons, as per the report.

Published - December 17, 2024 12:37 pm IST