Six policemen martyred in Lakki Marwa blast

LAKKI MARWAT: At least six policemen were martyred on Friday when a bomb explosion struck their vehicle in the troubled Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials and security sources said, highlighting a renewed surge in militant violence.

The attack occurred early in the day near a police patrol in the district, which borders Afghanistan and has seen frequent militant assaults in recent years.

The interior ministry confirmed the fatalities and said the wounded had been taken to nearby medical facilities for treatment.

Security forces described the incident as a “cowardly” assault by militants and said the deceased and injured officers were local personnel from Lakki Marwat.

Officials saif that operations to hunt down the attackers were underway, and vowed to intensify efforts to eradicate terrorism in the region.

“The brave soldiers of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police sacrificed their lives today for the nation’s peaceful tomorrow,” Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said, condemning the blast and praising the officers’ service.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the slain and injured.

Pakistan has struggled to contain militant groups operating in the northwest, especially along the porous border with Afghanistan. Security officials say the surge in attacks has posed ongoing challenges despite repeated counterterrorism operations in the region.

Friday’s explosion came a day after police and counter‑terrorism forces killed two suspected militants and arrested four others in a joint operation in the same district, authorities said.

Security forces have reiterated their commitment to rooting out militancy and restoring stability in the province.