Two suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of the Federal Constabulary forces in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, on Monday, killing at least three officers and wounding 11 others.
Police said a timely response prevented a larger tragedy. The attack comes amid rising militant violence and heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border insurgent activity.
City Police Chief Saeed Ahmad said the attackers targeted the provincial headquarters, which is located near the Afghan border.
“One attacker detonated his explosives at the main gate of the provincial headquarters of the Federal Constabulary, while the second bomber was shot and killed by officers near the parking area,” he said.
The attack occurred while a large number of security personnel were on open ground for morning parade drills.
“The terrorists involved in today’s attack were on foot and failed to reach the parade area, and a timely response by our forces prevented a much larger tragedy,” Ahmad told the media.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have been blamed for similar assaults in the past.
The TTP is a separate entity but allied with the Afghan Taliban, which governs Afghanistan.
This latest attack comes less than two weeks after a suicide bombing outside a court in Islamabad, which killed 12 people when explosives were detonated near a police car.
The surge in attacks has intensified tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Islamabad has accused the Pakistani Taliban of operating freely within Afghanistan since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
Pakistan frequently alleges that Afghan authorities have turned a blind eye to cross-border militant activity, while Kabul denies these claims.
Relations further escalated in October after Afghanistan blamed Pakistan for drone strikes in Kabul and vowed retaliation.
The ensuing clashes killed dozens of soldiers, civilians, and militants before a ceasefire brokered by Qatar on October 19 brought temporary relief.
Two rounds of talks in Istanbul followed, but no agreement was reached after Afghanistan refused to provide written guarantees preventing the TTP from using Afghan soil to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Police and security officials stressed that the quick response by personnel at the Peshawar headquarters minimized casualties.
“A timely response by our forces prevented a much larger tragedy,” Ahmad said, reaffirming the preparedness of local forces in the face of rising militant threats.
The attack highlights the ongoing security challenges in northwestern Pakistan and the fragile state of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.
Authorities are investigating the incident and monitoring potential follow-up threats while coordinating measures to protect critical installations in the region.
