PESHAWAR: At least seven people were killed and three others injured when twin blasts struck two civilian passenger vehicles in Pakistan’s restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said on Saturday.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan along the Afghanistan border, which are often targeted by the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Islamabad accuses India of financing these militant groups against Pakistan, and Afghanistan of providing a safe haven for the TTP and BLA to plan attacks in Pakistan. New Delhi and Kabul deny these allegations.
The twin blasts occurred in the Phing Musakhel area of Bannu district within the jurisdiction of Ahmadzai Police Station, according to Regional Police Officer (RPO) Bannu, Aamir Khan.
“The first explosion occurred when a passenger vehicle carrying travelers was struck by a remotely detonated explosive device, leaving several passengers wounded,” he told Arab News.
“As the injured were being transported for medical treatment in a motor car, a second explosion struck the vehicle, resulting in further casualties,” he added.
“A total of seven people were killed and three others sustained injuries in the two blasts. The wounded were shifted to medical facilities for treatment.”
Khan said security forces and police reached the site of the incident and cordoned off the area. He added that a forensic team was collecting evidence, and a search operation was also underway.
“An investigation is underway to determine the nature of the attack and identify those responsible,” Khan said.
The police official also confirmed that there were neither any security forces personnel nor any government officials in the vehicles targeted in the blasts.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombings.
The latest violence highlights ongoing security challenges in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where militant attacks have periodically targeted civilians and security personnel.
In May, the Pakistan military said it killed 44 militants in multiple operations carried out in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as Islamabad intensified its campaign against armed groups operating near the Afghan border.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has long been the center of Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations, with border districts frequently witnessing clashes between security forces and militants.
