Clashes at Pak Police Training Centre Leave 7 Officers, 6 Separatist Fighters Dead

A total of six separatist fighters were killed and seven police personnel lost their lives during an armed assault on the Ratta Kulachi Police Training School in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The incident began with a suicide bombing at the facility, followed by an intense five-hour exchange of fire between the separatists and security forces.

Initial reports confirmed the neutralisation of three separatist attackers during the early phase of the incident, while several others were believed to be taking cover inside the compound. A subsequent clearance operation conducted late Friday night resulted in the elimination of three more individuals. In total, six separatists were killed, seven police officers were martyred, and thirteen others sustained injuries.

According to officials, all trainee recruits and staff members were safely evacuated to secure zones, preventing further casualties.

The joint security response included Special Services Group (SSG) commandos, Al-Burq Force, Elite Force units, and local police personnel.

The assault began late Friday night when an explosives-laden truck was driven into the main gate of the training school, causing a massive blast. Following the explosion, armed separatists—reportedly wearing varied uniforms—entered the premises and opened fire. Security forces quickly responded and engaged in a prolonged standoff, during which grenades were also used by the assailants.

District Police Officer (DPO) Sahibzada Sajjad Ahmed and Regional Police Officer (RPO) Syed Ashfaq Anwar personally supervised the operation at the scene.

During the post-operation sweep, security personnel recovered suicide vests, explosives, modern firearms, and large quantities of ammunition from the site.

DPO Sajjad Ahmed stated that approximately 200 trainees, instructors, and other staff were present at the facility during the attack, all of whom were safely relocated to protected areas.

Inspector General of Police Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zulfiqar Hameed, confirmed that the training centre had been fully cleared and that an ongoing search operation was in place to rule out any remaining threats. He also commended the efforts of the RPO and DPO, paid tribute to the martyred officers, and announced official recognition and rewards for the personnel involved in the response.