7 Police Officers Killed In Deadly Militant Attack On Dera Ismail Khan Police Academy In Pakistan

<p>At least seven police officers and six militants were killed when heavily armed gunmen attacked a police training center in northwestern Pakistan late Friday, sparking a fierce overnight gun battle that raged for hours, officials confirmed on Saturday.</p>
<p>The assault, one of the deadliest in recent months, unfolded at a police training facility in Ratta Kulachi, on the outskirts of Dera Ismail Khan, a volatile region long troubled by militant violence. The area, home to several armed groups, has once again become a flashpoint as Pakistan grapples with a worsening security situation.</p>
<p>However, conflicting reports suggest the death toll could be far higher. Senior journalist Zafar Naqvi claimed on social media platform X that nearly 50 police personnel were martyred in the attack. &ldquo;Extremely heartbreaking news&hellip; Reports are coming in of the martyrdom of nearly 50 police personnel in Dera Ismail Khan; it is a very great loss,&rdquo; Naqvi wrote, also criticizing authorities for ignoring repeated intelligence warnings about the facility&rsquo;s vulnerability.</p>
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<p dir=”rtl” lang=”ur”>انتہائی افسوسناک خبر۔۔۔۔۔<br />ڈیرہ اسماعیل خان میں تقریباً 50 پولیس کے جوانوں کی شہادت کی اطلاعات آ رہی ہیں، بہت بڑا نقصان ہے، 7 خوارج بھی واصل جہنم ہوئے<br />ستم ظریفی یہ ہے کہ پولیس ٹریننگ سینٹر کی عمارت، چار دیواری، گیٹ بہت ہی کمزور حالت میں تھے، شہر سے نکل کر سنسان جگہ پر تھی، کئی&hellip;</p>
&mdash; Zafar Naqvi (@ZafarNaqviZN) <a href=”https://twitter.com/ZafarNaqviZN/status/1976713051236606398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>October 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<p>&ldquo;The irony is that the building&rsquo;s boundary wall and gate were in poor condition, located in a deserted area outside the city. Intelligence agencies had warned multiple times that an attack was likely, but the provincial government did nothing. Today, such devastation has occurred. May the Lord show mercy,&rdquo; he added.</p>
<p>According to Dera Ismail Khan Police Chief Sajjad Ahmad, the attack began when a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden truck into the main gate, setting off a massive blast that tore through the boundary wall. In the chaos that followed, militants, disguised in uniforms, stormed the compound, where about 200 recruits and their trainers were present.</p>
<p>The ensuing firefight lasted nearly six hours, with police and paramilitary forces eventually regaining control. Seven police officers were killed and 13 others injured, Ahmad said. Authorities later confirmed that six of the assailants were neutralized during the operation, and security personnel recovered suicide vests, explosives, automatic weapons, and ammunition from the site.</p>
<p>Police described the assault as a &ldquo;coordinated terrorist attack&rdquo; involving heavy weaponry. Despite the initial shock and confusion, officers on duty returned fire and prevented what officials believe could have been a far deadlier massacre.</p>
<p>Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi lauded the fallen officers for their courage, calling them &ldquo;heroes who laid down their lives defending the nation.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant outfit linked to the Afghan Taliban, initially claimed responsibility for the assault but later issued a contradictory statement denying involvement.</p>