Image credit - The Hindu
In a devastating event, a suicide bomber deliberately targeted a police station in northwest Pakistan, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 23 soldiers and leaving 32 others injured. This attack, which ranks among the deadliest in recent months, occurred in Dera Ismail Khan, a city situated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that shares a border with Afghanistan.
The suicide bomber activated the explosives concealed within his vehicle at the main entrance of the Daraban police station, causing a portion of the building to collapse. The blast shattered windows and caused significant damage to nearby businesses and shops. According to a statement from the military, six militants orchestrated the assault, leading to a prolonged exchange of gunfire with security forces. Eventually, all six attackers were neutralized.
Tragically, the death toll is anticipated to rise as several officers remain in critical condition. The bodies of the deceased have been transported to a local hospital. In a separate operation within the same region, the military reported that 27 insurgents were eliminated by the troops.
The responsibility for this heinous act has been claimed by the Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP), a recently formed group believed to be an offshoot of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group asserted that their target was the officers stationed at the police station, claiming that 20 officers had been killed.
Pakistani President Arif Alvi and caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti have both condemned this attack. The president assured that the sacrifices made by the troops would not be in vain and emphasized that such assaults would not weaken the determination of the security forces.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the escalating violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a region that has witnessed numerous deadly incursions by militants throughout the year. The Pakistani Taliban has intensified its attacks on security forces since 2022, emboldened by the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan in 2021. Although the TTP is a distinct entity, it maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban.