Blast at militant compound in northwest Pakistan kills 24, police say

Police officers and rescue workers gather after explosions on the counter-terrorism office building in Swat, Pakistan April 24, 2023. (Reuters/File)
Short Url
Updated 22 September 2025
Follow

Blast at militant compound in northwest Pakistan kills 24, police say

  • Blast occurred in Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, destroying several nearby homes
  • Police say compound was being used by Pakistani Taliban as factory for producing roadside bombs

PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Bomb-making material allegedly stored at a compound by Pakistani Taliban fighters exploded on Monday in the country’s restive northwest, killing at least 24 people, including militants and civilians, police said.

The blast occurred in the Tirah Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and destroyed several nearby homes.

Local police officer Zafar Khan said at least 10 civilians, including women and children, were killed, along with at least 14 militants.

Khan alleged that two local Pakistani Taliban commanders, Aman Gul and Masood Khan, had established hideouts in the compound, which was being used as a factory for producing roadside bombs. He accused the militants of using civilians as human shields and said they had recently stored weapons in mosques in other districts.

Pakistan’s security forces are carrying out operations against the Pakistani Taliban in Khyber, Bajaur and other parts of the northwest.

Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks, most claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. 


Pakistan launches second indigenous EO-2 satellite from China, SUPARCO says

Updated 8 sec ago
Follow

Pakistan launches second indigenous EO-2 satellite from China, SUPARCO says

  • Earth observation satellite launched from Yangjiang Seashore Launch Center in China
  • EO-2 to enhance disaster response, governance, resource management capabilities

KARACHI: Pakistan has successfully launched its second indigenous Earth Observation satellite, EO-2, from China’s Yangjiang Seashore Launch Center, the national space agency SUPARCO said on Thursday.

The launch marks a significant step in Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen its domestic space and remote sensing capabilities, with the satellite expected to improve imaging continuity, disaster monitoring, agricultural planning and strategic resource management.

In a statement, Pakistan’s SUPARCO said the EO-2 satellite would enhance the country’s earth observation and imaging capabilities and support governance and planning functions across multiple sectors.

“Pakistan’s second indigenous EO-2 satellite has been successfully launched,” SUPARCO said, adding that the mission represents a “milestone” in the expansion of the country’s satellite fleet.

According to the agency, EO-2 will provide critical data for planning and resource management while improving the continuity and accuracy of national earth observation systems.

The satellite is expected to support disaster management, urban planning, environmental monitoring and infrastructure development by supplying updated geospatial imagery and data.

SUPARCO said the launch demonstrates growing indigenous capability in satellite development and reflects Pakistan’s broader objective of strengthening its national space program through locally developed platforms.

Pakistan has gradually expanded its space cooperation with China in recent years, including satellite launches and joint missions, as Islamabad seeks to build technical capacity and reduce reliance on external data sources.

The EO-2 satellite is expected to play a key role in improving data availability for federal and provincial authorities, particularly in areas vulnerable to floods, climate stress and rapid urbanization.