Seven Killed, Others Injured in Twin Blasts in Northwestern Pakistan

Seven Killed, Others Injured in Twin Blasts in Northwestern Pakistan
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Seven people were killed and three others injured on Saturday in two separate explosions targeting civilians in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, local authorities said.

Bannu district police chief Yasir Afridi said a remotely detonated improvised explosive device exploded as a small passenger truck was passing through the area, causing casualties among those inside the vehicle.

Afridi said the injured were being taken to hospital for treatment when a second explosion targeted the vehicle carrying them, increasing the death toll and worsening the scale of the incident.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, the area has witnessed repeated activity by militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which operates in regions near the Afghan border.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the explosions and said his government would continue its efforts to combat terrorism and bring those responsible to justice.

The incident comes amid rising security tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Islamabad accuses Afghan authorities of sheltering members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an allegation Kabul denies.

Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Recent months have seen increased clashes and cross-border military strikes, including Pakistani air raids inside Afghan territory that reportedly caused deaths and injuries.