An explosion in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of at least four local government officials and police, confirmed a senior police official in the region. The deadly incident took place in Bajaur, a city near the Afghan border, where officials were traveling in a vehicle at the time of the attack. Alongside the fatalities, eleven others were reported injured.
Waqas Rafiq, a police officer stationed in Bajaur, detailed that the victims included one senior government official, another government representative, and two police officers. The explosion occurred in a market area of the city, leading to significant casualties.
Shortly after the attack, the Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K), a regional affiliate of the Islamic State group, claimed responsibility. They stated that they had targeted the officials’ vehicle using a moped loaded with explosives.
This incident follows another recent surge of violence in the area, specifically an attack just days prior that resulted in the deaths of 16 soldiers, claimed by the Pakistan Taliban, an active militant group in the region. According to an AFP tally, approximately 300 individuals, predominantly security personnel, have lost their lives in various attacks since the beginning of the year across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
The situation in Pakistan remains precarious, with last year recorded as the deadliest in over a decade. A report from the Center for Research and Security Studies highlighted that more than 1,600 people were killed in various attacks throughout the country in 2022.
The uptick in violence can be attributed to a resurgence of militant activities, particularly in regions bordering Afghanistan. Since the Taliban regained control in Kabul in 2021, Pakistan has accused its western neighbor of harboring groups that launch attacks on its territory, a claim vehemently denied by the Taliban authorities. The ongoing violence poses significant challenges for stability and security within Pakistan, as government forces continue to confront armed groups operating in the region.
