The deceased include a two-year-old boy, a 17-year-old girl, and among the injured there are also children aged seven and nine.
Five people, including women and a child, were killed and several others injured in a suicide attack on Domel police station in Bannu in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday night. PHOTO: EXPRESS
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
Five people, including women and a child, were killed and several others injured in a suicide attack on Domel police station in Bannu district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Thursday night, Bannu Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said.
The suicide attack near Domel police station was foiled thanks to timely security measures and professional preparedness of the police, according to District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi.
According to first reports, the suicide bomber was targeting the Domel police station. However, after failing in his attempt, he attacked a nearby civilian area outside the station, resulting in the deaths of five innocent civilians. Among the dead were three women, a child and a man, while 13 people were seriously injured.
The injured were immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where they are receiving medical attention.
“Five people, including Dr Naqeeb and his wife, were killed in the blast at Domel police station,” police said. The authorities added that “among the victims are 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 address, with police noting that “the attack was carried out from the address of the old tehsil building” and that “the blast was carried out using an explosive-laden vehicle.”
According to the hospital, “among the injured are seven women, children and at least one police officer” and that “among the deceased are a two-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl, while among the injured there are also children aged seven and nine, as well as women.”
Among the victims are 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 the five martyred police officers in DI Khan
After the explosion, security forces rushed to the scene. The explosion caused significant destruction to nearby buildings. According to the police, “Two nearby residential houses were destroyed, leaving several people trapped under the rubble.” Reports also stated that “there are reports that several people were injured.”
Authorities said the incident spread panic in the area. “Local people participated in the rescue efforts on a self-help basis,” while rescue teams were sent to the scene, officials said.
More damage was reported in the surrounding area, with Sajjad Khan saying: “Two houses near the police station were reduced to rubble by the explosion, while the doors, windows and glass of several houses and shops were shattered.”
Following the incident, police, bomb disposal unit and other law enforcement agencies reached the spot, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.
Bannu DPO Yasir Afridi took notice of the incident, visited the spot and went to the hospital to inquire about the injured. He ordered relevant officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and to carry out a full investigation to bring those responsible to justice.
The DPO said such a dastardly act of terrorism would not weaken the resolve of the police or the public. He added that the Bannu police remain committed to protecting the lives and properties of citizens and will continue to take decisive action against such elements.
Bannu police have urged citizens to immediately report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station or helpline so that any potential threat can be thwarted in time.
KP has been fighting terrorism since the US expulsion from Afghanistan, and terrorists often cross the border to attack police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and staff.
Read more: SHO among seven police officers martyred in IED blast in Lakki Marwat
Last month, at least seven police personnel, including the station house officer of Shadi Khel, 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 Rustam Bazaar area of Wana in Lower South Waziristan.
The province has witnessed a rise 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 in the rest of the country. During the year, a total of 2,597 terrorists were killed.
