DSP, inspector among 6 policemen martyred in Kohat terrorist attack

• Terrorists also set ablaze police mobile van after the attack

 KOHAT/PESHAWAR: Six police personnel, including a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), were martyred and three others sustained injuries after a terrorist attack on a police vehicle in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat district on Tuesday.

Senior Police said confirmed the police mobile van was attacked in the remote area of Shakardara Road, resulting in the martyrdom of six policemen, including a deputy superintendent, identified as Asad Mehmood, an inspector and four constables.

The police officers said that the police team came under the attack while transporting two individuals for a court appearance.

Following the attack, the terrorists also set the mobile van ablaze, police added.

Earlier in the day, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported that heavy firing by armed assailants targeted the DSP of Lachi Police near Shakardara Road.

Following the attack, additional police contingents were dispatched to the area, and a search operation was launched to apprehend the attackers.

Authorities have cordoned off the area, while investigations into the incident have begun.

Condemnations pour in

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the terrorist attack and paid tribute to the fallen police personnel.

In a statement issued from the President’s House, he expressed heartfelt sympathy and condolences to their families and reiterated the national resolve to fight the terrorists to end.

صدرِ مملکت آصف علی زرداری کی کوہاٹ میں پولیس گاڑی پر فتنہ الخوارج کے دہشت گردوں کے حملے کی پرزور مذمت

صدر زرداری کا جامِ شہادت نوش کرنے والے ڈی ایس پی اسد محمود اور دیگر اہلکاروں کو خراجِ عقیدت

صدر زرداری نے شہید ڈی ایس پی اور دیگر شہداء کے اہلِ خانہ سے دلی ہمدردی اور اظہارِ…

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) February 24, 2026

KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the terrorist attack and lauded great sacrifices of police personnel. He said that the entire nation stand united to defeat the terrorism.

CM Afridi termed the sacrifices of police officers and soldiers for establishing peace a source of pride for the nation.

KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi while strongly condemning the terrorist attack, paid glowing tribute to the DSP and other police officials who embraced martyrdom in the line of duty and prayed for their elevated ranks. He also extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyrs and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured police personnel.

Kundi noted that the law and order situation in KP’s southern districts had deteriorated significantly. He said the police were fighting on the front lines in the war against terrorism and rendering immense sacrifices.

PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also condemned the attack and expressed sorrow over the loss of lives, as per a statement issued via the PPP’s media cell.

پی پی پی چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا کوہاٹ ضلع میں پولیس موبائل پر دہشتگردوں کے حملے کی شدید مذمت

چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری کا شکر درہ روڈ پرحملے میں ایک ڈی ایس پی، 5 پولیس اہلکاروں اور ایک شہری کی شہادت پر اظہار افسوس

چیئرمین بلاول بھٹو زرداری نے شہید ہونے والے ڈی ایس پی…

— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) February 24, 2026

As per the statement, Bilawal paid tribute to the KP police for their “unwavering resolve and sacrifices in the war against terrorism”.

 Terrorist attacks have been prevalent in the country, especially in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provinces neighbouring Afghanistan.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has seen an alarming rise in terrorist attacks since the past year. According to the Annual Security Report 2025 from the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), KP recorded a significant surge in violence last year as “fatalities rose from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025”.

Yesterday, three Federal Constabulary (FCN) personnel were martyred in a terrorist attack in KP’s Karak district, officials said.

According to Karak police spokesperson Shaukat Khan, Rescue 1122 teams arrived at the site of the incident, but their ambulances were ambushed by the terrorists near Ghole Banda Dam.

As a result, three FCN personnel were martyred, and three Rescue 1122 officials were injured, while the ambulances caught fire and were destroyed.

Last week, a terrorist attack involving an explosive-laden vehicle on a checkpost in KP’s Bajaur district martyred 11 security personnel. The military’s media wing said that an “innocent young girl” was also martyred during the incident, while another seven people were also injured, including women and children.

A day earlier, four terrorists of Indian proxy – Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in KP's Dera Ismail Khan, while five others were killed in separate raid in Balochistan’s Pishin district.