Suicide bomber kills at least 12 at Pakistan police checkpoint as gunmen then target ambulance

From the Newshound archive · first published 27 September 2026 · last updated 28 September 2026.

A suicide bomber killed at least 12 people at a police checkpoint in Dera Ismail Khan in northwestern Pakistan, before gunmen opened fire on an ambulance responding to the scene. The double-strike attack — targeting first responders after the initial blast — is a hallmark tactic of militant groups operating in the region. Pakistan's northwest has seen a surge in attacks on security forces in recent months.

The bombing struck a police checkpoint, killing at least 12 officers and wounding several others in the initial blast.

Gunmen then targeted the ambulance sent to the scene, compounding the casualty toll in a calculated secondary strike.

No group has yet claimed responsibility, though militant organisations including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan have carried out similar attacks in the area.