Suicide bombing in Pakistan's northwest kills two policemen, injures two others

A suicide bomber attacked a police mobile unit on Peshawar's Ring Road on Sunday, killing two policemen and injuring two others, according to police officials.

Aqif Anjum, Station House Officer (SHO) of Chamkani, told Nuktathat the police vehicle targeted in the blast was on routine patrol at the time of the attack. "Four police personnel were present in the vehicle when the explosion occurred," he confirmed.

Masood Bangash, Senior Superintendent of Police, confirmed to Nukta that the police mobile was stationary when a suicide attacker detonated explosives near the vehicle.

"Teams from the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) are collecting evidence from the scene," Bangash said, adding that the exact quantity of explosives used will be determined after forensic analysis.

According to the spokesperson of Rescue 1122, those killed in the suicide blast included Sub-Inspector Laiq Zada and Constable Alamzeb. "Their bodies and the injured were transported to Lady Reading Hospital," the spokesperson added.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "cowardly and condemnable act" against those who protect the public.

The chief minister requested a detailed report from senior police officials regarding the incident. "Targeting the protectors of the people is a cowardly and condemnable act," he said, adding that such acts of violence would not weaken the resolve of the police force.

No group has claimed responsibility

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on the police mobile in Peshawar. However, in recent months, the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for several attacks on police personnel across various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to data compiled by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), the pattern of militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has shown a marked shift, with security personnel increasingly becoming the primary targets of attacks.

The figures reveal that since 2021, at least 1,150 security personnel have been killed in terrorism-related incidents, exceeding the 733 civilian fatalities recorded during the same period.

This contrasts sharply with the trend observed between 2006 and 2020, when civilian casualties significantly outnumbered those of security forces. During that 14-year period, 5,130 civilians lost their lives in militant attacks, compared to 2,383 members of the security forces.