Deceased include a two-year-old child, 17-year-old girl, the injured also include children aged seven, nine
Five people, including women and a child, have been killed and several others injured in a suicide attack targeting Domel Police Station in Bannu in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, late Thursday night. PHOTO: EXPRESS
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
Five people, including women and a child, were killed and several others injured in a suicide attack targeting Domel Police Station in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, late Thursday night, Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said.
The suicide attack near Domel Police Station was foiled due to timely security measures and the professional preparedness of the police, according to District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi.
According to initial reports, the suicide bomber intended to target the Domel Police Station. However, after failing in his attempt, he targeted a nearby civilian area outside the station, resulting in the deaths of five innocent civilians. The deceased include three women, one child, and one man, while 13 people were seriously injured.
The injured were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, where they are receiving medical treatment.
“Five people, including Dr Naqeeb and his wife, were killed in the blast at Domel Police Station,” police said. Authorities added that “the victims include three women, one civilian and one child, while four people are injured.” At least one police officer has been injured in the explosion.
The attack was reportedly carried out from a nearby direction, with police noting that “The attack was carried out from the direction of the old tehsil building” and that “the explosion was carried out using an explosives-laden vehicle”.
According to the hospital, “the injured include seven women, children, and at least one police personnel” and that “the deceased include a two-year-old child and a 17-year-old girl, while the injured also include children aged seven and nine as well as women”.
The victims include members of the same family. According to RPO Sajjad Khan, “four members of the same family were killed in the suicide attack, including Naqeebullah, his wife, his son Tufail Subhan, and his daughter Sadaf”.
Read: SHO among five cops martyred in DI Khan
Following the explosion, security forces responded at the scene. The blast caused significant destruction to nearby buildings. According to police, “Two nearby residential houses have been destroyed, as a result of which several people are trapped under the rubble”. Reports also indicated that “there are reports of multiple people being injured”.
Authorities stated that the incident spread panic across the area. “Local people were engaged in rescue efforts on a self-help basis,” while rescue teams had been dispatched to the scene, authorities said.
Further damage was reported in the surrounding area, with Sajjad Khan saying, “Two houses near the police station were reduced to rubble in the explosion, while doors, windows, and glass of several homes and shops were shattered”.
Following the incident, police, the bomb disposal unit, and other law enforcement agencies reached the scene, cordoned off the area, and launched a search operation.
DPO Bannu, Yasir Afridi, took notice of the incident, visited the site, and went to the hospital to inquire about the injured. He directed the relevant officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and to conduct a full investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
The DPO said that such a cowardly act of terrorism would not weaken the resolve of the police or the public. He added that Bannu police remain committed to protecting the lives and property of citizens and will continue decisive action against such elements.
Bannu police have urged citizens to report any suspicious activity immediately to the nearest police station or helpline so that any potential threat can be thwarted in time.
K-P has been battling terrorism since the United States’ ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and personnel.
Read more: SHO among seven cops martyred in Lakki Marwat IED blast
Last month, at least seven police personnel, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel Police Station, were martyred in an explosion near a police mobile in Lakki Marwat.
A week before that, two policemen were killed and 15 people, including five police personnel, were injured in a blast in the Rustam Bazaar area of Wana in Lower South Waziristan.
The province has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Out of a total of 5,397 reported incidents last year, K-P recorded 3,811, followed by Balochistan with 1,557 incidents. Only 29 incidents were reported from the rest of the country. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year.
