Watch: IED Blast Flips Pakistani Police Vehicle During Patrol in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 7 Cops Killed

A chilling video has emerged from Pakistan showing the exact moment a police armoured vehicle was destroyed in a targeted bomb attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing seven police personnel.

The attack took place on Monday in Tank district and is being linked to militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Video captures IED attack on police patrol

The footage shows a police armoured vehicle on routine patrol when it is struck by a powerful improvised explosive device planted along the roadside. The explosion flips the vehicle and leaves it badly mangled. Moments after the blast, armed militants can be seen firing at police officers who were thrown onto the road by the impact.

Officials said the attackers belonged to a special unit associated with the TTP. The video has intensified concerns over the growing boldness of militant operations targeting law enforcement in the region.

Casualties confirmed by local police officials

Tank deputy police chief Pervez Shah said five police personnel were killed instantly when the remote-controlled bomb detonated. Two others later succumbed to their injuries while receiving treatment in hospital.

Those killed in the attack included a Station House Officer, a Sub-Inspector, three Elite Force personnel, and the driver of the vehicle, according to police sources.

Government condemns attack, honours fallen officers

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and paid tribute to the officers who lost their lives.

"The brave policemen sacrificed their today for the peaceful future of the nation," he said in a statement issued on Monday.

Security officials described the attack as part of a wider campaign aimed at destabilising law enforcement operations in volatile border regions.

Rising militancy and regional tensions

Pakistan has seen a sharp rise in terrorist attacks in recent months, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Police, security forces, and other law enforcement personnel have been frequent targets.

Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to TTP militants, alleging that Afghan territory is being used to plan attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban-led government in Kabul has rejected these claims, insisting that Pakistan's security challenges are internal matters.

Relations between the two neighbours remain tense, with a fragile truce in place following deadly border clashes in October last year, the most severe fighting since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.