Miranshah:
At least four civilians were martyrated, while 14 others, including two policemen, were injured in a distant settled bomb attack on a police patrol vehicle in a busy marketplace in the South Waziristan Tribal District in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday morning.
No group immediately assumed responsibility for the deadly bombing, but similar attacks in the past were carried out by the forbidden Tehreek-E-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which officials claim to operate from its safe gardens across the border in Afghanistan.
Police vehicle partially suffered damage to the attack, police said, adding that most of the injuries were passers -by and shop owners. The bomb went near the main taxi in Wana Bazaar in the Rushims and triggered panic and chaos on the market.
Witnesses said the bomb was triggered moments after the police vehicle pulled up near the taxi level. The windows in several stores were crushed by the action of the explosion, and stamped-like scenes followed. Rescuers and law enforcers rushed to the stage and ran damage to District Headquarters Hospital, where an emergency was declared.
Medicine in the hospital confirmed that four civilians succumbed to their injuries, while two of the wounded were also in critical condition. Two policemen are among the wounded when they were aboard the mobile that narrowly escaped from a direct hit.
Wana DSP Shakirullah told The Express Pakinomist that it was an improvised explosion device (IED) that was detonated distant. “The police vehicle sustained less damage, but unfortunately carried civilians near the explosion,” he added.
Shortly after the explosion, police, along with experts in bombing, threw a security mutual security in the area and began collecting forensic proofs from the crime scene. A Manhunt was also launched in nearby areas for the terrorists involved in the attack.
All stores and businesses in Wana Bazaar were closed and the area wore a deserted look in the midst of tangible fear and sorrow. Local tribal men expressed concern about the deteriorating security situation in the border area where TTP Terrorists once kept sway.
“We live under constant threat. The government has failed to protect us,” said a local shop owner, repeating the feeling of many traders and residents.
Tribe Elderly condemned the bombing and demanded immediate and concrete measures to restore peace in the fleeting district. “This is not the first such event and it will not be the last unless a serious change in the security method.
Deputy Commissioner of South Waziristan Lower has ordered a thorough probe in the incident and instructed law enforcement authorities to bring the perpetrators to the right.
Attacks targeting security forces, police and civilians have seen a sharp uptick in different parts of the fleeting district in recent months. Events with remote -controlled blasts, bakhold and targeted killings are often reported from areas including Wana, Birmal, Shakai and Ladha.
The locals have warned that if timely action is not taken, the situation can be spiral back to the violent era 2008-9, as the region was practically governed by terrorist groups. The latest explosion is a sharp reminder that peace remains evasive in the district.
