According to Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Dr. Mian Saeed Ahmad, the attack began when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at the main gate of the FC compound. The blast was followed by gunfire as security forces engaged two additional attackers who attempted to enter the facility. Both were shot dead in the retaliatory response. Authorities said they were still clearing the compound, suspecting that additional assailants may have been positioned inside.
The Pakistan Army later attributed the strike to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referring to the attackers as members of the “Fitna-ul-Khawarij” group a term often used by the military for TTP operatives. The incident comes amid a rapid escalation in militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, regions that have witnessed a sharp rise in terrorism since the TTP ended its ceasefire with Islamabad in November 2022.
Videos circulated online shortly after the attack showed residents hearing multiple explosions near FC Chowk in the Saddar area. Monday’s assault follows a similar attempted strike on an FC facility in Bannu district in September, which left six soldiers and five attackers dead.
The TTP, formed in 2007 after militant factions unified under Baitullah Mehsud, has intensified attacks across Pakistan, capitalizing on grievances in Pashtun-majority areas and strengthening ties with the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan maintains that the group uses Afghan territory to plan operations, a claim Kabul denies.
According to the Global Terrorism Index 2025, Pakistan is now the world’s second most terror-affected country, with TTP-linked attacks rising 90 percent in the past year. Security officials warn that Monday’s attack reflects the group’s growing operational capability and the persistent threat to state institutions.
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