Two roadside bombs kill at least seven in northwestern Pakistan
At least seven people died in two roadside bomb blasts in northwestern Pakistan. The second device detonated as rescuers were helping the wounded from the first attack.
Attack in Bannu district
On Saturday, two explosions occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan. The first blast hit a private pickup truck carrying passengers, according to police officer Yasir Afridi. He stated that the vehicle was targeted with a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (IED).
While the injured were being transported to hospital, a second IED exploded, wounding three more people. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and other armed groups operate in the area.
Political reaction and regional tensions
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and promised to bring the perpetrators to justice. Pakistan has long blamed Afghanistan for a surge in cross-border attacks. The Afghan Taliban government denies using its territory as a sanctuary for armed groups.
Relations have deteriorated in recent months, escalating into clashes, including Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities. Pakistani strikes near the border this month killed at least 26 Taliban fighters, according to Pakistan, while Afghanistan said 12 civilians died. The border has remained largely closed since October, freezing bilateral trade and disrupting the movement of people and goods.
