ISLAMABAD: At least five people were killed and 12 others sustained injuries after a “suicide” bomber targeted a police station in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province late Thursday, police officials said.
The “suicide” bomber blew himself outside the Domel police station in KP’s Bannu district, damaging nearby homes and shops, according to a Bannu police spokesman Kashif Khan. The police did not give more details about the bomber.
The deceased included four people of the same family who lived adjacent to the police station. The Pakistani Taliban, who have carried out several attacks in the region, distanced themselves from the blast.
“A powerful suicide blast struck the Domel police station in Bannu, causing widespread destruction in the surrounding area,” the police spokesman said.
“The intensity of the explosion brought down parts of nearby houses, shattered shop shutters and windows, and damaged sections of the police station, including the sentry post.”
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raza Khan confirmed the death toll and injuries to Arab News.
“Those killed also include Dr. Naqeebullah, his wife, son and daughter,” he said.
Pakistan’s KP province, which borders Afghanistan, has been grappling with a surge in militancy since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021, with attacks, particularly by the Pakistani Taliban, frequently targeting security forces, law enforcers, government officials and civilians.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of allowing the use of its soil and India of backing militant groups for cross-border attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi deny this.
The surge in militancy in Pakistan’s western regions has triggered one of the worst clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan since late Feb., with dozens killed and hundreds displaced on both sides.
