A deadly suicide bombing hits in northwestern Pakistan recently. A person drove a vehicle filled with explosives into the main gate of a police station, causing a big explosion. Unfortunately, at least 23 soldiers lost their lives, and 32 others got injured. The attack was claimed by a new militant group called Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, believed to be linked to the Pakistani Taliban.
The attackers didn’t stop at the explosion; there were six more of them involved in a shootout with the military and local police at the police station. It took hours, but eventually, all six attackers were killed. The situation is grim, with some wounded officers in critical condition, and there’s a fear that the number of casualties might increase.
The attack specifically targeted the Daraban police station in the city of Dera Ismail Khan. This city is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan and used to be a stronghold for the Pakistani Taliban. Recently, a significant number of security forces were deployed at the station for intelligence operations against militants.
The newly formed militant group claimed that they targeted officers at the police station. The owner of a nearby hotel described a heartbreaking scene, witnessing many army soldiers killed and wounded.
In response to the attack, Pakistani President Arif Alvi and Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti strongly condemned it. The president expressed condolences to the families of those killed, emphasizing that their sacrifices won’t be in vain.
Separately, in another incident in the town of Kulachi, two soldiers and four insurgents were killed in a shootout. The surge in militant attacks, particularly by the Pakistani Taliban, has strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan is concerned that the Pakistani Taliban are becoming more active since their allies, the Afghan Taliban, took over Afghanistan in 2021.
To address the issue, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry summoned a representative from the Taliban in Kabul to protest the attack in Dera Ismail Khan. They demanded a thorough investigation and strong action against the attackers, as well as public condemnation of the incident. Additionally, Pakistan urged the Afghan Taliban to take verifiable actions against terrorist groups and their hiding places. The region has been experiencing increased violence, with deadly incursions by militants, making the situation even more challenging.
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