The 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 on Thursday evening. 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 averted due to timely security measures and 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 death of five innocent civilians. The dead include three women, a child and a 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. The authorities added that “the victims include three women, a civilian and a child, while four people are injured.” At least one police officer was injured in the explosion.
The attack was reportedly carried out from a nearby direction, with the police noting that “The attack was carried out from the direction of the old tehsil building” and that “the blast was carried out using an explosive-laden vehicle”.
According to the hospital, “the injured are seven women, children and at least one policeman” and that “the dead include a two-year-old child and a 17-year-old girl, while the injured also include children aged seven and nine and 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 officers martyred in DI Khan
After the explosion, security forces responded to the scene. The explosion caused significant destruction to nearby buildings. According to the police, “Two nearby residential houses have been destroyed as a result of several people being trapped under the rubble”. Reports also indicated that “there are reports of several people who have been injured”.
Authorities said the incident spread panic throughout the area. “Local people were engaged in rescue efforts on a self-help basis,” while rescue teams had been sent 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 blast, while doors, windows and glass of several homes and shops were shattered”.
Following the incident, police, bomb disposal squad and other law enforcement agencies reached the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.
DPO Bannu, Yasir Afridi, noticed the incident, visited the spot 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 such a cowardly act of terrorism would not weaken the resolve of the police or the public. He added that the Bannu Police remains committed to protecting the lives and property of citizens and will continue decisive action against such elements.
The Bannu Police has urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or helpline so that any potential threat can be averted in time.
KP has been fighting terrorism since the US’s 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 officers martyred in Lakki Marwat IED blast
Last month, at least seven policemen, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel police station, were martyred in an explosion near a police mobile in Lakki Marwat.
A week earlier, two policemen were killed and 15 people, including five policemen, were injured in an explosion in the Rustam Bazaar area of Wana in Lower South Waziristan.
The province has witnessed an increase in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country. Out of a total of 5,397 incidents reported last year, KP 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.
