Police officers killed in explosions at Pakistani counter-terror office

A couple of explosions at a counter-terrorism office in the Swat Valley in north-west Pakistan has killed at least 17 people, with most of the victims counted as police officers. Four of the dead are civilians. Buildings have collapsed and over 50 people have sustained injuries.

A number of people got buried under the rubble. The injured ones were rushed to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital. While Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif initially called the incident a “suicide attack”, he later tweeted “The nature of the blast is being investigated”.

The collapse also triggered a power outage in the area. The Monday explosion at the Kabal police station in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which neighbours Afghanistan, is unlikely to be an act of terror, police said.

Keep Reading

An electrical fault igniting ammunition in the centre has been blamed. Reuters News Agency quoted Sohail Khalid, regional chief of the counter-terrorism department, as saying there might have been some blast in a “store where we had a huge quantity of weapons” due to carelessness.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the incident. While in recent months, the Pakistani Taliban has carried out several attacks targeting security forces after ending a ceasefire with the government, it has not claimed involvement in the latest blast.

Pakistani counter-terrorist forces are known to maintain a strong presence in the Swat Valley, which was under the control of Islamist militants until they were forced out in 2009. Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai was shot and wounded in the valley by Taliban militants in 2012.

AP Journalist

Keeping all readers updated about the recent developments in the Asia Pacific region. I am an avid reader and an inquisitive mind. Follow for all that’s new in the region.

Recent Posts

Abrupt Exit of F1 Race Director Raises Questions

At the start of this month, Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, expressed his unease over the sudden resignations of Formula… Read More

November 22, 2024

Rosé & Bruno Mars: APT. Live Debut at MAMA Awards

K-pop star Rosé and Bruno Mars will perform their viral hit APT. live for the first time today at the… Read More

November 22, 2024

“We Will See”: Ronaldo on Playing with Cristiano Jr.

Cristiano Ronaldo has hinted at a dream that has fans buzzing—playing professional football alongside his son, Cristiano Jr. In a… Read More

November 22, 2024

Canadian Authorities Accuse Indian Agents of Serious Crimes

The government of Canada has responded to a recent media report linking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the killing of… Read More

November 22, 2024

Fewer Americans Apply for Unemployment, but Challenges Persist

The Labor Department reported on Thursday that new jobless claims fell by 6,000 to 213,000 for the week of November… Read More

November 21, 2024

Judge Stanalonis Appointed County Administrative Judge for St. Mary’s Circuit Court

Chief Justice Matthew J. Fader of the Supreme Court of Maryland has named Judge Joseph M. Stanalonis as the county… Read More

November 21, 2024

This website uses cookies.

Read More