South Asia

Nine police officers killed in Pakistan ‘suicide’ explosion

At least nine security personnel were killed and 15 others wounded in a bomb blast in the Bolan district of Balochistan province of Pakistan on Monday.

Citing a police official, Pakistan-based Dawn newspaper reported that a suicide bomber crashed his explosive-laden motorbike into a minibus belonging carrying personnel from Balochistan’s Constabulary – a department of the provincial police force that provides security at important events and in sensitive areas.

“The constabulary van was on its way back to Quetta from Sibi when an explosion occurred on the Kambri bridge in the area bordering the Sibi and Kachhi districts,” Mahmood Notezai, a senior police officer, said quoted by Dawn.

According to the report, those wounded in the explosion have been taken to the Sibi Civil Hospital.

Notezai added that security forces have arrived at the attack scene and a search operation is underway.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, so far.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in violence across the country after Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended the ceasefire with Islamabad in November last year.

In mid-February, TTP fighters stormed the Karachi police compound in the Sindh province of Pakistan. At least four people were killed and 14 others were wounded in the attack.