Three cops martyred, seven civilians injured in Bara Bazaar blast

PESHAWAR: Three policemen were killed and seven civilians injured on Thursday in a blast at Bara Bazaar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)’s Khyber district, according to a police official.

KP Police Inspector General (IG) Akhtar Hayat confirmed the attack occurred within a tehsil office’s compound, where local government officials carry out their duties.

The KP police chief stated that two suicide attackers attempted to enter the tehsil office, one from the main gate and the other from the rear.

The police managed to neutralize both attackers, but gunfire and blasts were exchanged during the encounter.

Authorities collected DNA samples from the attackers for further investigation. The blast resulted in damage to the office’s main gate and the building.

Khyber District Police Officer Saleem Abbas reported that three policemen lost their lives, and seven individuals sustained injuries during the attack. Authorities are currently assessing the amount of explosives used in the incident.

The Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) spokesperson, Tuheed, stated earlier that two of the injured were civilians.

Following the tragic event, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, expressing grief over the martyrdom of the policeman.

He directed to provide the injured with the best medical treatment available. The prime minister commended the bravery of the policemen, highlighting their efforts in thwarting the terrorists’ intentions and risking their lives for public safety.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah also condemned the incident and pledged to eradicate terrorism. He praised the sacrifices of soldiers and emphasized that terrorist attacks would not diminish the nation’s spirit.

In related incidents, two policemen were martyred and two others injured in an attack on a police check post in Peshawar’s Regi Model Town area last night. A day before, a police constable was martyred in Dera Ismail Khan’s Kulachi tehsil when unknown gunmen opened fire on him.

Additionally, six Frontier Corps men were injured on Tuesday in Peshawar’s Hayatabad when a suicide bomber targeted a vehicle carrying the paramilitary personnel.