Pakistan Police Ambush in Kohat Kills 11 Officers

The attack took place in the Darbokach Jalandhar Banda area, between Kohat and Karak, as the police team travelled through the Gambat area of Kohat towards the mining site. The assault triggered an exchange of fire and prompted authorities to rush reinforcements to the location.

The incident has raised fresh concerns about the Security of police personnel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where attacks on law enforcement and security forces have continued in recent months. It also highlights the risks faced by officers conducting operations against illegal activities in areas where armed attackers can exploit difficult terrain.

How Gunmen Ambushed the Police Team in Kohat

According to Pakistani media reports, the police personnel were travelling through the Gambat area to carry out a raid against illegal gold mining when they came under attack in Darbokach Jalandhar Banda.

The attackers reportedly positioned themselves on surrounding hilltops and opened fire on the moving police vehicles. Their elevated positions allowed them to target the team during its journey towards the mining site, catching the personnel in a sudden and intense assault.

The attack damaged several police vehicles. Five police mobile vehicles were also set on fire during the incident, adding to the scale of the destruction.

Kohat police spokesperson Muhammad Nauman Zeb said the attackers continued firing at the personnel, leading to a heavy exchange of gunfire. Police reinforcements were subsequently dispatched to the area as security forces attempted to contain the situation.

The location of the ambush, between Kohat and Karak, made the response particularly urgent. Authorities sent additional vehicles and a heavy contingent of personnel to support the police team and secure the surrounding area.

11 Police Personnel Killed, 12 Injured in the Attack

The death toll rose to 11, while another 12 police personnel sustained injuries, according to Rescue 1122. The casualties included senior and junior officers who were part of the team travelling towards the illegal mining site.

Zeb identified Gambat Deputy Superintendent of Police Haider Zaman and Sub-Inspector Mukhtiar among those killed. Their deaths added to the loss suffered by the local police force during the ambush.

The injured personnel were taken for medical treatment, with authorities declaring an emergency at the District Headquarters Teaching Hospital. The emergency arrangement was intended to ensure that medical teams could respond to the sudden arrival of multiple casualties.

The scale of the attack prompted police authorities to place the surrounding area on high alert. Additional personnel and vehicles were sent to the scene while security forces worked to control the situation and respond to the attackers.

The available reports did not establish how many gunmen took part in the ambush or identify the organisation responsible. Authorities had not publicly confirmed the attackers’ identities in the information provided.

Why Was the Police Team Heading to Raid Illegal Gold Mines?

The police team was travelling to conduct an operation against illegal gold mining when it was attacked. The raid formed the immediate reason for the officers’ presence in the area, although the available information does not provide details about the mining operation or the individuals suspected of running it.

Illegal mining can create challenges for local authorities because it involves unauthorised extraction of natural resources and may operate outside the regulatory framework governing mining activities. Enforcement operations can require police support, particularly when authorities need to enter remote locations or secure sites where illegal activity is suspected.

In this case, the police team was moving towards the mining site when gunmen attacked from the surrounding hills. The circumstances raise questions about the security arrangements for the operation and whether the attackers had prior knowledge of the police movement. However, the available reports do not establish how the gunmen knew about the planned raid.

It is also not yet clear whether the suspected illegal mining operation was directly connected to the attackers or whether the ambush was carried out for another reason. Establishing a motive will require further investigation by Pakistani authorities.

The incident nevertheless demonstrates how operations against illegal activities can become dangerous when armed groups or unidentified gunmen operate in the same region.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Condemns the Ambush

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi strongly condemned the attack and expressed grief over the deaths of the police personnel.

Kundi described the assault as a highly condemnable and cowardly act. He paid tribute to the officers who lost their lives and extended condolences to their families.

The governor also sought a detailed report from police authorities about the incident and directed the relevant officials to ensure that those responsible were brought to justice.

Emphasising the role of police personnel in confronting terrorism and criminal elements, Kundi said their sacrifices were a “source of pride for the entire nation and would never go in vain”.

His response reflected the seriousness of the incident and the pressure on provincial authorities to establish accountability following another deadly attack on law enforcement personnel.

Repeated Attacks on Police Personnel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

The Kohat ambush is the latest in a series of violent incidents targeting police and security personnel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Several attacks in recent months have killed officers during patrols, intelligence-based operations and other security duties.

The repeated incidents have placed additional pressure on police forces operating across the province, where personnel are frequently required to respond to armed threats in different districts.

October 8: Police Patrol Attacked Near Karak-Kohat Boundary

On October 8, Station House Officer Daud Khan and his gunman, Farhad, were killed after armed men opened fire on a police patrol near the Karak-Kohat boundary.

The incident highlighted the risks faced by officers conducting routine patrols in areas where armed attackers can target police vehicles and personnel.

September 28: Three Traffic Police Personnel Killed in Tank

On September 28, unidentified gunmen attacked a vehicle carrying traffic police personnel in Tank district. Three officers were killed in the assault.

The attack added to concerns about the vulnerability of police personnel beyond dedicated counterterrorism operations. Traffic officers and other law enforcement staff can also become targets while carrying out regular duties.

September 25: Counter-Terrorism Operation in Peshawar

On September 25, Counter-Terrorism Department Constable Muhammad Afaq was killed during an intelligence-based operation in the Garhi Sherdad area of Peshawar.

Three other personnel were injured during the operation, which was directed against suspected suicide attackers. The incident demonstrated the dangers involved in operations intended to prevent potential attacks before they take place.

September 18: Deadly Attack at Kohat Police Lines

One of the deadliest recent incidents took place on September 18, when a blast followed by an assault at Kohat Police Lines killed 23 people, including 15 police personnel.

Eight attackers were killed during the subsequent clearance operation. The scale of the incident made it one of the most serious attacks reported in the region during the period covered by the supplied information.

The latest ambush adds to this pattern of violence in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, where police personnel have been attacked in different circumstances, including patrols, security operations and assaults on police facilities.

Pakistan’s Security Situation Deteriorates as Attacks Increase

The Kohat incident comes amid a wider deterioration in Pakistan’s security environment, particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The province has experienced repeated attacks on police, security personnel and government-linked targets.

Data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data project (ACLED) indicates a substantial increase in attacks across Pakistan in recent years. According to the figures cited in the supplied report, the number of attacks rose from 658 in 2022 to 2,425 in 2025.

This represents an increase of nearly four times over the three-year period. The figures point to a sustained rise in reported violence rather than an isolated escalation linked to a single incident.

The trend has continued into 2026, with security reports presented to Pakistan’s federal cabinet in October indicating a sharp increase in incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Security Reports Show a 195% Increase in K-P Incidents

Two security reports presented to the federal cabinet in October found that incidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa had increased by 195% between March 2024 and September 2026.

The reports also found that 73% of attacks recorded in the province during 2026 had targeted police and security personnel. This figure highlights the extent to which law enforcement and security forces have been exposed to the violence.

For police departments, repeated attacks can create operational challenges beyond the immediate loss of personnel. Forces must continue routine policing, respond to emergencies, conduct investigations and maintain security while dealing with the threat of further attacks.

Attacks on officers can also affect local communities by disrupting policing and increasing uncertainty in areas where security conditions are already difficult.

The figures provide a broader context for the Kohat ambush. While the motive and responsibility for the latest attack remain to be established, the incident occurred against a background of rising violence and repeated targeting of security personnel.

What Happens Next After the Kohat Police Ambush?

The immediate priorities for authorities include treating the injured officers, securing the area and investigating the circumstances surrounding the ambush. Police and security forces will also need to establish the identities of the attackers and determine how they planned and carried out the assault.

Investigators are likely to examine the damaged and burned police vehicles, the location from which the attackers opened fire and any available evidence from the scene. The planned raid against illegal gold mining may also form part of the investigation into the possible motive.

Authorities have not yet established whether the attack was directly connected to the illegal mining activity or whether the police team was targeted for a separate reason. That distinction will be important in determining who was responsible and what prompted the assault.

The incident also raises questions about the protection of police teams travelling through vulnerable areas for enforcement operations. The use of elevated positions by the attackers suggests that the surrounding terrain played a role in the assault, although further details about the security arrangements remain unavailable.

A Fresh Challenge for Pakistan’s Police and Security Forces

The killing of 11 police personnel in Kohat is a major loss for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s law enforcement system. The deaths of DSP Haider Zaman, Sub-Inspector Mukhtiar and nine other personnel underline the dangers faced by officers operating in areas affected by armed violence.

The attack also comes at a time when security data points to increasing violence across Pakistan and a particularly serious threat to police and security personnel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

While the police team was reportedly travelling to raid illegal gold mines, the motive behind the ambush and the identity of the gunmen remain to be confirmed. The investigation will need to establish whether the assault was connected to the planned operation or formed part of the wider pattern of attacks in the province.

For now, the incident has renewed attention on the security challenges facing Pakistani police forces and the need to identify those responsible for targeting officers carrying out their duties.