Roadside blasts kill at least seven in northwestern Pakistan
Police said a second device exploded as wounded passengers were being taken for emergency treatment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Two roadside bombs killed at least seven people in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, police said, in an attack that struck civilians and then rescuers responding to the first blast. The explosions took place in Bannu district, part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, where armed groups have been active.
Yasir Afridi, a police officer in Bannu, said the first device hit a private pick-up truck carrying passengers. He described the bomb as a remote-controlled improvised explosive device.
A second device exploded as the wounded were being taken to a hospital by car for emergency treatment, Afridi said. He said three people were injured in the blasts.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and said the government would bring those responsible to justice.
No group immediately claimed responsibility. The Pakistan Taliban, known as the TTP, and other armed groups operate in the area, according to reports by AFP and AP.
Border tensions in the background
The attack comes amid heightened insecurity along Pakistan’s frontier with Afghanistan. Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan for an increase in attacks near the border, while the Taliban government in Kabul has repeatedly denied Pakistani allegations that Afghan territory is being used as a haven by armed groups.
Relations between the two countries have worsened in recent months and have included cross-border clashes, according to AFP and AP. Pakistani air strikes have also hit Afghan cities during the escalation.
Earlier this month, Pakistani air strikes near the border killed at least 26 Taliban fighters, Pakistan’s government said. Afghanistan’s government said those strikes killed 12 civilians.
The border has remained largely closed since violence intensified in October, according to AFP and AP. The closure has halted much bilateral trade and disrupted the movement of people and goods.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has long been one of the main areas affected by militant violence in Pakistan. Saturday’s use of a second blast as victims were being moved added to concerns for rescue workers and civilians responding after attacks.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.