Pakistan: Bomb blast targets government vehicle, kills 5
Bajaur District Police Officer Waqas Rafique confirmed that five people, including two policemen and a civilian, were killed in the explosion targeting a government vehicle on Nawagai Road in Siddiqabad railway attack area of Khar tehsil.
According to Dawn, the victims include Nawagai Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail, Tehsildar Abdul Wakil, Subedar Noor Hakim, police constable Rashid, and one civilian. "The blast was so intense that the vehicle targeted was destroyed," he said.
Security has been increased in the area, and relief activities are underway. The injured have been taken to Khar Hospital for treatment, where an emergency has been imposed.
KP Health Adviser Ihtisham Ali strongly condemned the blast and expressed grief over the loss of lives. He contacted the district health officer and the medical superintendent of the District Headquarters Hospital in Khar Bajaur and inquired about the well-being of those injured in the attack, as per Dawn.
"An emergency has been imposed in Bajaur hospitals, and health department staff have been alerted for first aid," he said. The health adviser assured the pubic that medical assistance would be provided to the injured.
KP Inspector General of Police (IG) Zulfiqar Hameed sought a report on the blast from the Malakand regional police officer (RPO). He also ordered to speed up intelligence-based operations against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group and directed the Counter-Terrorism Department's additional inspector general of police to send a special team to Bajaur.
"A special branch is obtaining intelligence related to the incident," Hameed said, adding that according to initial information, the TTP targeted the assistant commissioner's vehicle.
Hameed said that teams were formed "to arrest the elements involved in the incident while all necessary evidence is being collected from the spot", adding that bomb disposal teams were present on site.
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