Militants use two-stage ‘double tap’ attacks to ambush Pakistani responders

Militant factions operating in Pakistan have refined a two-phase “double tap” strategy that first hits a police or security outpost and then ambushes the units dispatched to assist. The tactic, highlighted by Dawn, exploits predictable reinforcement routes, using IEDs, roadside attacks or even explosive-dropping quadcopters to maximize casualties. Recent examples include a July 29 assault in Hangu district that killed nine officers, including deputy superintendent Diyar Khan, and a suicide bombing outside a Swat police station on Sunday that left 14 dead and 18 injured.

Over the last three years, 16 police personnel, three of them deputy superintendents, have been killed while responding to attacks rather than in the initial strike. The surge in such incidents aligns with a sharp increase in overall militant activity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where July saw 154 terrorism-related deaths, more than double June’s toll. Security forces contend that predictable response patterns make reinforcement teams vulnerable, prompting calls for revised tactics and stronger counter-terror measures.