Three suicide bombers targeted the headquarters of a Pakistani paramilitary force on Monday, killing three personnel and wounding at least five, authorities said.
The attackers opened fire as they forced themselves into the headquarters of the frontier constabulary in Peshawar city before blowing themselves up inside the complex, police said.
Three paramilitary personnel were killed, said Javed Iqbal, the deputy commandant of the force.
Attack Details
The Express Tribune, A Pakistani news organisation, reported that nine injured victims from the blast have been shifted to Lady Reading Hospital, spokesman Mohammad Asim said. “The injured are in stable condition and are receiving medical treatment”. The wounded include three Federal Constabulary personnel and civilians.
“All injured are currently out of danger, while an emergency has been declared at LRH,” the spokesman added.
“The first suicide bomber carried out an attack on the main entrance of the constabulary and the others entered the compound,” a senior official told Reuters on condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“Law enforcement personnel, including the army and police, have cordoned off the area and are carefully handling the situation as we suspect there are some terrorists inside the headquarters,” the official added.
No Specific Threat
The headquarters of the force is located in a densely populated area of Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The Inspector General also told Express Tribune News that there had been no specific threat alert regarding the assault on the FC headquarters, but added that timely action allowed security personnel to bring the situation under control quickly. The IG noted that similar attacks in the province’s southern districts had recently been foiled and that a province-wide security review was conducted last week.
“The road has been closed for traffic and cordoned off by the army, police and (security) personnel,” Safdar Khan, a resident of the area, told Reuters.
The five wounded people, including two paramilitary personnel, were taken to Lady Reading Hospital, its spokesperson Mohammad Asim said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the terrorist attack and lauded security forces for their “timely action,” as per a statement issued by the PM Office, reported the Dawn.
Repeated Attacks
No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
This attack is the latest one in a string of suicide blasts in Pakistan lately. On November 11, at least 12 people were killed and several others injured in a suicide bombing outside a local court in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Islamist militants operating in the region have ramped up attacks in recent weeks after last month’s deadly border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Pakistan blames the Afghan Taliban for harbouring the militants who it says launch cross-border attacks, a charge Kabul denies.
(with inputs from Reuters)
