Two Rescuers Killed in DI Khan Ambulance Attack After Blast
More than 30 people, including police personnel, Customs officials and civilians, were injured in the blast, sources said, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could increase.
Two rescue workers were killed after terrorists opened fire on an ambulance transporting people wounded in a suspected suicide bombing in Dera Ismail Khan’s Darazinda area, security sources said, in a second deadly incident linked to Friday’s attack.
According to security sources, the ambulance was carrying victims of the blast to hospital when terrorists associated with “Fitna al-Khawarij” opened fire on the vehicle, killing two rescue personnel.
Security forces were conducting an operation against the attackers following the bombing and subsequent firing incident, sources added.
At least 12 people, including six police personnel, two Customs officials, two women and a two-year-old child, were killed in a suspected suicide bombing targeting an anti-smuggling check post in Dera Ismail Khan’s Darazinda area, according to security sources.
More than 30 people, including police personnel, Customs officials and civilians, were injured in the blast, sources said, adding that some of the wounded were in critical condition, raising fears that the death toll could increase.
Explosives-Laden Vehicle Hits Check Post
According to initial information from sources, an explosives-laden vehicle, or vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), was rammed into the Aman Mela Police Check Post located along the DI Khan-Quetta Road.
Sources described the explosion as extremely powerful.
Security forces reached the site in large numbers following the blast, cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.
Authorities had yet to release comprehensive official details about the attack and the casualty figures at the time of filing.
Sources Point to Terrorist-Smuggler Nexus
Sources described the attack on the anti-smuggling check post as evidence of what they said was a nexus between terrorists and criminal elements involved in smuggling.
They said security personnel and civilians had once again been targeted in a deadly attack by “Khawarij”, a term used by Pakistani authorities for terrorists associated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
PM Shehbaz Condemns DI Khan Terrorist Attack
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack on a police check post in Dera Ismail Khan, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extending condolences to the families of those killed. He prayed for the swift recovery of the injured and said the sacrifices of those protecting the nation in the fight against terrorism would not be allowed to go in vain. The prime minister reaffirmed that the government remained committed to the complete elimination of terrorism from the country.
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the suicide attack
Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi strongly condemned the suicide attack on the anti-smuggling ‘Aman Mela Police Check Post’ in Dera Ismail Khan, expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extending condolences to the families of the victims. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured, saying that the “cowardly acts of the Khawarij” could not weaken the nation’s resolve against terrorism. Naqvi said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained on the front line in the fight against terrorism, where people from all walks of life had made immense sacrifices, adding that the sacrifices of those killed were deeply valued.
Security Situation Over Past 10 Days
The latest attack comes amid heightened security concerns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and along Pakistan’s western border over the past 10 days.
On September 18, a deadly blast at Police Lines in Kohat killed more than 20 people and injured dozens, followed by counterterrorism operations in Kohat and neighbouring areas.
Security forces subsequently carried out operations in Kohat, Hangu and Thal, killing terrorists, according to security officials.
Tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border also escalated this week. Security sources said eight drones originating from territory controlled by the Afghan Taliban entered Pakistani airspace on September 23, with four intercepted near Torkham and another four near the mountainous border areas close to Kohat.
Pakistan later said it conducted precision aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations inside Afghanistan that it said were being used for launching and storing drones. Islamabad described the strikes as calibrated and limited to identified military objectives.
The latest DI Khan bombing adds to a series of security incidents that have placed renewed focus on the threat posed by terrorist groups operating in and around Pakistan’s western border regions.
