Ten police officers were killed the night before in an attack on a police station in the northwestern part of Pakistan, local authorities said.
The attack happened a few days before parliamentary and local elections scheduled for Thursday. Violence increased ahead of the vote, with dozens of attacks on candidates or party supporters.
"More than 30 terrorists launched an attack from three directions. The exchange of fire lasted more than two and a half hours," the local police said.
It is about the Chaudwan police station in the Dera Ismail Khan district, ten policemen were killed and four were wounded, the police added.
The attackers briefly took control of the police station during the attack, which began around 1.30:XNUMX a.m. local time.
The northwestern part of Pakistan has long been the target of attacks by Islamist groups.
The Pakistani Taliban Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the regional branch of the Islamic State jihadist group are particularly targeting security forces there.
Pakistan has been facing deteriorating security for several months, especially since the return of the Taliban to power in Kabul in August 2021. The targets of the attack are areas bordering Afghanistan.
Islamabad believes some of the attacks were planned from Afghan soil, where the attackers have a sanctuary, which Kabul denies.
In 2023, more than 1.500 civilians, members of the security forces and rebels were killed.
This is the highest number of casualties in the last six years, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Security Research and Studies.
Election campaigns in Pakistan are generally marked by violence. Many candidates and voters have been the targets of armed attacks and bombings by Islamist insurgents in the past.
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