PESHAWAR, Pakistan — At least four local government officials and police officers were killed Wednesday in an explosion targeting their convoy in Bajaur district, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near Afghanistan’s border, according to senior police officer Waqas Rafiq. Eleven others were wounded in the blast, which occurred in a bustling market area.
“This senior government official, another official, and two police officers were killed,” Rafiq told Agence France-Presse. The officials were traveling in a vehicle through Bajaur city when an improvised explosive device detonated, he said.
Hours later, the Islamic State’s Khorasan Province (IS‑K) affiliate claimed responsibility, stating that a moped packed with explosives had been used to target the convoy, AFP reported.
The attack comes amid a resurgence of militant violence in the region. Just four days ago, 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a separate assault in the same province, which the Pakistani Taliban also claimed responsibility for.
Since the beginning of this year, roughly 300 people — predominantly security personnel — have been killed in attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and neighboring Balochistan province, according to an AFP tally.
Last year marked the deadliest period of violence in Pakistan in a decade. Over 1,600 individuals were killed in militant-related incidents, according to the Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies.
Security officials in Islamabad have pointed to a rising tide of violence originating from across the border since the Taliban regained power in Kabul in 2021. Pakistani authorities have accused Taliban of allowing militant groups to operate on its territory — allegations the Taliban leadership in Kabul has repeatedly and firmly rejected.
