PAKISTAN , AUG 2 : At least fourteen people, including five police personnel and four civilians, were killed, and 18 others injured in a suicide bombing near Kabal Police Station in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Sunday. The blast occurred as the Swat Peace Rally was passing through Kabal town in Swat district, where demonstrators had gathered to demand peace and denounce militancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Associated Press, the attacker struck as participants marched near the police station, chanting anti-militant slogans. District police chief Omar Khan said at least five police officers were among those killed in the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bombing was confirmed as a suicide attack, with police and rescue teams rushing to the scene as security forces launched an investigation. Rescue teams shifted the injured to nearby hospitals, while police and other law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Swat Peace Rally was organised by the Swat Aman Jirga, a local tribal council, with participants carrying placards and raising slogans demanding peace in the region, which has witnessed a deterioration in the security situation in recent months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show hundreds of people taking part in the rally before the explosion. Moments later, the footage showed scenes of panic, with thick smoke billowing into the air as people ran for cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Subsequent visuals showed damaged vehicles, debris scattered across the road and emergency responders rushing to the scene. Ambulances were seen evacuating the wounded while security personnel secured the area. Bystanders also appeared to assist the injured as crowds gathered near the blast site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PAKISTAN CONDEMNS ATTACK<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the bombing, expressing condolences to the families of those killed and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicion is likely to fall on the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), according to the Associated Press. The TTP is separate from, but allied with, Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers. Pakistani authorities have long accused Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing sanctuary to TTP militants, an allegation Kabul has consistently denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Swat Valley was once a stronghold of Islamic militants who imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law before the Pakistani military launched a major operation in 2007 that drove them out and restored government control, according to the Associated Press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in militant violence in recent years, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where police, security personnel and civilians have increasingly been targeted in bombings and armed attacks. The province, which borders Afghanistan, has remained on high alert amid renewed militant activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
-PTI<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" PAKISTAN , AUG 2 : At least fourteen people, including five police personnel and four civilians, were killed, and 18 others injured in a suicide bombing near Kabal Police Station<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":154226,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[348],"tags":[28619,28620,1803],"class_list":["post-154223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-national-news","tag-14-killed","tag-18-injured-in-suicide-bombing-outside-pakistan-police-station","tag-pakistan"],"yoast_head":"\n