Ten Police Officers and 18 Militants Killed in Ambush Following Illegal Mining Crackdown in Pakistan

Ten police personnel and 18 militants were killed during a violent exchange of fire in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The incident unfolded on Wednesday in the Darbukach area of Kohat district's Gumbat tehsil as a police party returned from an operation targeting unauthorized gold extraction.

Ambush Following Mining Crackdown

According to provincial police, the officers came under heavy attack from surrounding hilltops while heading back from the joint operation with the local administration. The assault followed recent government restrictions aimed at curbing illegal placer gold extraction, which included bans on excavator machinery and limitations on open-container petroleum supplies. During the resulting firefight, five police vehicles were reportedly set on fire, and 12 other officers sustained injuries requiring hospital treatment.

Casualties and Leadership Losses

Among the deceased officers were Gambat Deputy Superintendent of Police Haidar Zaman and Sub-Inspector Mukhtiar. Initial casualty figures varied slightly before authorities confirmed the death toll at 10 police personnel and 18 attackers. Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif both condemned the violence, paying tribute to the slain officers.

Militant Links and Regional Security

Law enforcement officials alleged that the ambush was carried out by militants acting in collaboration with criminal groups involved in illegal mining. Police asserted connections to militant networks, while reports noted the wider context of rising violence and security challenges across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan amid deteriorating regional relations.