Quetta terrorist attack leaves three policemen dead

QUETTA: At least three policemen were killed and another sustained injuries when their mobile van came under attack of terrorists in the city, police said on Thursday.

According to police officials, personnel from the New Sariab police station were on board the van that were ambushed by terrorists. Police officials said that terrorists opened reckless fire at the personnel.

The martyred personnel include a sub-inspector and two constables, said the police officials.

Reacting to the terrorist incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti condemned it and dubbed it a "dastardly assault" by the terrorists.

"We will take the terrorists to their logical end," the chief minister reiterated, stressing the state is not weak and it will respond with full force by eliminating the terrorists completely. 

Last week, security forces killed two terrorists during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Kech district of Balochistan, the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, adding the IBO was conducted in the general area of Buleda on the reported presence of terrorists.

The killed terrorists were involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area against the law enforcement agencies as well as the innocent civilians, the military said.

The country has been reeling under increased terrorist attacks targeting law enforcers and security forces since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in the bordering provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Pakistan witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.

The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.

KP remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP's settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants.