In a tragic incident on Thursday, gunmen armed with rocket-propelled grenades ambushed a police convoy in the eastern Punjab province, resulting in the deaths of at least 11 officers and injuring seven others, according to local authorities.

The attack took place in the Rahim Yar Khan district, where the officers were patrolling a remote area in search of notorious robbers who are known to operate in the region. Although no group has claimed responsibility for the assault, Punjabi police suspect that the perpetrators were likely robbers rather than militants. The injured officers were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

While Pakistan has experienced a rise in violence and militant activity in recent years, the scale of this attack, particularly the number of police casualties, is unusual.

Security forces in Punjab, as well as in the southern Sindh province, frequently conduct operations against bandits who take refuge in rural and forested areas. These bandits have been responsible for multiple police deaths in recent months. Thursday’s ambush occurred in the Kacha area of Rahim Yar Khan, a region notorious for serving as a haven for robbers along the Indus River, where they remain heavily armed and elusive.

Reports indicate that one of the police vehicles broke down while navigating through rainwater accumulated along farm fields, creating an opportunity for the bandits to launch their deadly assault. The region has been heavily affected by monsoon rains since July.

The attack in Kacha, one of the most devastating on police in recent years, prompted swift condemnation from authorities. President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi all issued statements expressing sorrow, denouncing the attack, and honoring the slain officers as martyrs. Police have been ordered to take immediate action against the attackers, and Prime Minister Sharif has demanded the best possible medical care for the wounded officers.

Earlier on the same day, gunmen also targeted a school van in Punjab, killing two children and injuring six others. As with the police ambush, no group has claimed responsibility for this attack.