Police officials and the head of a government hospital in Kohat—a city in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province—have confirmed that 10 police personnel, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), were killed and several others injured in an attack by militants on a police team in the Darbukach area.
According to Kohat police spokesperson Noman Zeb, the 10 deceased personnel include an officer of the rank of DSP, Haider Zaman.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack.
In a statement, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and claimed that the police personnel, while “fighting back bravely,” killed 18 militants.
Meanwhile, Dr. Tahir, the Medical Superintendent (MS) of Kohat Hospital, stated that the bodies of 10 personnel and 10 injured individuals were brought to the hospital following the incident. Two of the critically injured have been referred to Peshawar, while the remaining eight are undergoing treatment at Kohat Hospital.
A statement issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police indicated that the attack occurred while the police team was conducting an operation against illegal gold mining—an activity allegedly driven by a nexus between militants and criminal elements—in the Darbukach area, located within the Gambat Tehsil of Kohat.
According to Jawad Afridi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122 Kohat, the difficult terrain of the area caused delays in reaching the site and carrying out rescue operations. The police stated that a police party was returning following the conclusion of an operation against illegal gold mining when militants, acting at the behest of criminal elements, launched a sudden attack.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, an exchange of fire continued for a significant duration following the incident, and fresh contingents of police and security forces subsequently arrived at the scene.
A Kohat police official reported that on Wednesday, the police had launched a major operation against groups engaged in illegal gold mining in Darbukach. He noted that at least seven people were killed and ten police personnel were wounded, while 13 officers who participated in the operation returned safely.
In a statement, the police asserted that militant elements in the province are “collaborating with criminal mafias to further their nefarious agendas.” They added, “No illegal activity will be permitted.”
DSP Haider Zaman is among the ten police personnel who lost their lives during a clash with armed individuals in Kohat on Wednesday night.
The vicinity of the Gambat Tehsil in Kohat comprises several villages and settlements, featuring local markets, educational institutions, and other basic amenities.
The incident occurred in a remote village called Darbukach, located approximately 40 kilometers from Gambat Tehsil. Situated in a mountainous region, the area lacks paved roads; consequently, the journey from Kohat city to the village takes between two and two-and-a-half hours. According to locals, Darbukach is situated between Khushhal Garh and Shakardara; it consists of a long stretch of land running alongside the Indus River, where gold prospecting takes place along the riverbanks.
Locals mentioned that conflicts have previously occurred between local groups in this area over the search for gold along the riverbanks, and that police have also conducted raids at these sites on several occasions.
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