ISLAMABAD: A powerful improvised explosive device detonated near Darra TangRoad in Lakki Marwat district on Monday, injuring three police personnelincluding a Station House Officer during a routine patrol. The blast,claimed by militants using the state-designated term Fitna al Khwarij forthe banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, targeted an armoured personnelcarrier in the Jabar Khel area under Saddar police station jurisdiction.Authorities confirmed that all injured officers received immediate medicalattention and are now reported to be out of danger.
The incident occurred amid a persistent wave of attacks against securityforces across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and former tribal districts. Policesources stated that the explosive device was planted along the patrol routeand triggered as the APC passed through a relatively narrow stretch ofDarra Tang Road. Initial assessments suggest the IED was of mediumintensity, causing significant damage to the vehicle but limited casualtiesdue to protective armour. Forensic teams have begun collecting evidence totrace the origin and manufacturing pattern of the explosive.
Lakki Marwat District Police Officer Nazir Khan promptly reached the blastsite to supervise operations. A large-scale search and cordon operation wasimmediately launched in surrounding villages and hilly terrain suspected toprovide cover for militants. Security forces deployed additionalcontingents while intelligence-based operations intensified in adjacentareas. Officials emphasized that the quick response prevented any follow-upattack in the immediate aftermath of the explosion.
The use of the term Fitna al Khwarij in official statements reflects thegovernment’s consistent narrative framing the TTP as deviants from Islamicprinciples rather than legitimate political actors. Since the group’sresurgence following the Afghan Taliban takeover in 2021, cross-bordersanctuaries have enabled renewed organizational capacity. Security analystsnote that TTP has increasingly focused on soft targets including policestations, mobile patrols and check-posts in districts bordering NorthWaziristan and Bannu.
Data compiled from multiple sources indicate that Khyber Pakhtunkhwawitnessed over 380 terrorist incidents in 2025 alone, resulting in morethan 520 fatalities among security personnel and civilians. The provinceaccounted for approximately 78 percent of nationwide terrorism-relatedcasualties last year. IED attacks constituted nearly 42 percent of allviolent incidents targeting law enforcement, demonstrating the militants’continued reliance on asymmetric warfare tactics.
Lakki Marwat district itself recorded a troubling uptick in militantactivity during the past eighteen months. At least eleven separate IED anddirect attack incidents against police and levies personnel have occurredin the district since July 2024. The Darra Tang area, due to its proximityto mountainous hideouts and porous border sectors, remains particularlyvulnerable. Local residents have repeatedly demanded enhanced intelligencecoverage and permanent security pickets along critical communication routes.
Senior police officials reiterated their resolve following the latestattack. DPO Nazir Khan declared that such cowardly acts would neverdemoralize the force. He affirmed that Lakki Marwat police remain fullycommitted to public safety and are prepared to make every sacrificenecessary. Authorities also announced a temporary increase in securitydeployment across the district, including additional mobile units and nightpatrols.
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The recurring nature of these assaults has raised serious questions aboutthe effectiveness of existing counter-terrorism strategies. Whilelarge-scale military operations have periodically disrupted militantnetworks, the decentralized structure of TTP allows rapid reconstitution ofattack cells. Experts argue that sustainable peace requires simultaneousprogress on border management, intelligence sharing with Afghan authoritiesand socio-economic development in militancy-affected districts.
Despite the persistent threat, law enforcement personnel continueperforming duties under extremely challenging conditions. The injured SHOand constables represent the latest addition to thousands of securitypersonnel who have faced direct militant aggression since the resurgence ofterrorism in recent years. Official statements underscore that the stateremains determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism in all its forms.
Source: https://www.app.com.pk
Tags: Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, LakkiMarwat, IED Attack
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