Double Bombing Kills 7 in Pakistan

A double bombing shattered the peace at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district in Pakistan, claiming seven lives and wounding three others.

The back-to-back explosions targeted two vehicles in the remote, mountainous Wazir sub-division in what authorities are calling a “cowardly act of terrorism”.

Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi confirmed the fatalities following the strikes in the Marka Bera area.

According to police statements, the attackers used remote-controlled devices to first strike a private Datsun vehicle transporting passengers toward Domel in the Phang Musa Khel region. That initial blast killed five people and completely demolished the vehicle.

The tragedy deepened as a second explosion ripped through another vehicle approximately one kilometer away. This strike occurred as the wounded from the first blast were being rushed to the hospital, killing two additional people and destroying a second car.

Rescue 1122 teams eventually transported the survivors and the deceased to the Domel Rural Health Centre and Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital.

President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the use of the “improvised explosive device” and expressed deep sorrow for the civilian casualties. He issued a stern warning to those facilitating the violence from behind the scenes.

According to the presidency, “President Zardari warned the terrorists’ internal and external patrons who provide them with safe havens, logistics and financial assistance.”

Zardari said that while militants aim to disrupt “Pakistan’s international diplomatic successes and efforts to promote peace,” the nation will maintain its commitment to stability, and “terrorists will be defeated”.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq joined in the condemnation. Speaker Sadiq described the targeting of innocent civilians as an “extremely cowardly and shameful act,” adding that “terrorist elements would never succeed in their nefarious designs”.

This latest bloodbath highlights a persistent surge in militant violence across Bannu. Just last week, militants used explosives in an attempt to destroy the Teri Ram Bridge on Miryan Road, causing partial damage.

On 12 June, targeted killings claimed the lives of two police constables in the district. These events follow a massive clash last month between law enforcement and militants that left two police officers and two civilians dead, while 25 terrorists were killed.

In response to the deteriorating security situation, a local jirga recently demanded that the government take immediate and decisive steps to root out militancy from the region.

Security forces currently maintain a cordon around the blast sites, conducting search operations and sweeping for additional explosive devices.

Source: Dawn (adapted)