Islamabad, December 23: At least five police personnel were killed after a police mobile was targetted in Karak district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the local police confirmed on Tuesday. District Police Officer (DPO) Saud Khan said five police personnel were killed when gunmen fired on them and fled from the spot. The DPO stated that vehicle was part of a security detail of a private gas firm and that the gunmen set it ablaze after the attack, leading Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported.

The latest incident comes in a series of attacks targetting police personnel in Pakistan, especially in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Pakistan Blast: Massive Explosion Occurs Near District Court in Islamabad, Multiple People Injured (Watch Video).

Gunmen Target Vehicle in Pakistan

On December 8, a policeman was injured after assailants targetted a police station in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A police officer said that assailants targetted the Ahmadzai police station with sniper fire, Pakistan's Dawn reported.

On December 3, three police personnel, including an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), were killed in a blast targeting a police vehicle in the Dera Ismail Khan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to district police spokesperson Yaqoob Zulqarnain. Imran Khan Calls for Nationwide Protests After Pakistan Court Sentences Former PM and His Wife Bushra Bibi in Toshakhana Case.

Zulqarnain stated that an improvised explosive device was used to carry out the blast in the Paniyala area. The police spokesperson stated that ASI Gul Alam, Constable Rafiq and the driver of the mobile van, Sakhi Jan, were killed in the attack, while another constable accompanying them remained unhurt.

Meanwhile, Islamabad-based Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in its latest security report has revealed that Pakistan has witnessed an over 46 per cent rise in overall violence in its security landscape for the third quarter of 2025.

As per the report, Pakistan reported at least 901 fatalities and 599 injuries – among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws – resulting from 329 incidents of violence, including terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

Pakistan recorded 1,527 fatalities between January and September 2024 (Q1-Q3). The 2414 fatalities during the same period showcase a surge of 58 per cent in violence. However, the source of fatalities has shifted. As many as 505 deaths were reported due to security operations in 2024, while 1022 people died due to terror attacks.

The report stated, "In 2025, security operations accounted for 1265 deaths – over half of the total fatalities. This shift underscores how the state's response has intensified, with security forces inflicting heavier losses on militants."

The CRSS report added: "Accounting for over 96 per cent of the country's violence in this quarter, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan stood out as the most volatile provinces. KP was the worst-hit region, suffering nearly 71 per cent (638) of the total violence-linked fatalities, and over 67 per cent (221) of the incidents of violence, followed by Balochistan, with over 25 per cent of fatalities (230) and incidents (85). The number of fatalities, injuries, and incidents recorded in all other regions remained relatively low."

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