Suspected suicide bombing at police station kills 17 in Pakistan, officials say
At least 17 people were killed in a suspected suicide bombing outside a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, a rescue group and a regional police official said, as the country battles widening insurgencies.
A suspected suicide bombing at a police station in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday claimed at least 17 lives, according to rescue officials and a regional police spokesperson. The attack occurred in the Kabal area of Swat district, within Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, during a pro-police rally of local residents. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militant group claimed responsibility for the incident, while the death toll initially rose to 14 before three additional victims succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
The explosion's proximity to the rally remains uncertain, but local officials confirmed that seven police officers and ten civilians perished in the blast. One of the deceased was identified as the suicide bomber, Fida Hussain, according to a regional police official. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow and grief over the incident in a statement.
In response, the police launched an operation to apprehend anyone who may have aided the attackers. Militancy in Pakistan's border regions has surged in recent months, primarily targeting the military and police forces. The Pakistani government attributes this increase to the Afghan Taliban, accusing them of providing support to the militant groups. However, the Taliban has denied these allegations.
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