At least three Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel were killed on Monday when an ambulance transporting wounded officers was targeted in a terrorist attack in the Badrakhail area of Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police confirmed.
Sequence of Attacks
The personnel were initially injured in a quadcopter strike on an FC post in the Dargah Shaheedan area earlier in the day. According to the District Police Officer (DPO), they were being moved to a hospital for treatment when the ambulance came under fire.
The DPO further stated that at least five FC men were wounded in the initial quadcopter attack, while two rescue personnel were also injured in the subsequent assault on the ambulance.
Security Response
Following the attack, police launched an immediate search and clearance operation in the area to apprehend the assailants. Investigations into both incidents are currently underway.
Regional Security Context
This attack occurs amid a significant escalation in regional tensions and cross-border militant activity. Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terrorism since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in border provinces like KP and Balochistan.
In a related development, Pakistani security sources reported conducting intelligence-based airstrikes on Sunday against seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to militant groups, including Fitna al Khawarij (FAK) and Daesh-Khorasan, along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. These strikes, which reportedly killed over 80 militants in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces, were described as a response to recent suicide attacks in Pakistan.
Ongoing Tensions with Kabul
The recent military action follows a series of deadly terrorist attacks within Pakistan. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban regime to curb militant groups operating from its soil, appeals that have largely gone unheeded.
Tensions between the two nations have flared previously, notably in October 2025, when border clashes resulted in significant casualties on both sides. Despite multiple rounds of talks, efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire have stalled due to the Afghan Taliban’s reluctance to act against terrorist outfits.
