Suicide Car Bombing Kills 11 Security Personnel in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Quetta — At least 11 Pakistani security personnel were killed in a targeted suicide car bombing at a joint checkpost in the Bajaur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, local media reported on Tuesday, citing confirmation from the military’s media wing.

According to a statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the attack occurred on February 16 when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into a Frontier Corps security post in Bajaur, located near the Afghanistan border.

Afghanistan-based news outlet Khaama Press reported that the checkpoint, which operated from a former religious school building, was completely destroyed in the blast. Bodies were later recovered from beneath the debris.

The explosion also impacted nearby residential areas. A child living in an adjacent house was killed, and at least three others sustained serious injuries as surrounding homes were damaged by the powerful detonation. Videos circulating on social media reportedly showed civilians conducting rescue efforts in the dark, pulling survivors from the rubble amid concerns that the civilian toll could rise.

The attack comes amid a broader escalation in militant violence across Pakistan. On Monday, at least two people were killed and 14 others injured in an explosion near the Miryan Police Station in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to police, the blast was caused by explosive material planted in a motorcycle. The deceased included a child, reported leading Pakistani daily Dawn.

Police sources indicated that the explosion occurred near shops situated in front of the station. While no police personnel were harmed, civilians in the vicinity were affected, with several reported to be in critical condition.

Earlier, on February 7, two police officers were injured in separate attacks targeting law enforcement in Bannu district.

A recent assessment by the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) highlighted a sharp deterioration in Pakistan’s security environment in 2025, marking the fifth consecutive year of rising violence. The Pakistan Security Report 2025 recorded 699 attacks during the year — a 34 percent increase over 2024 — resulting in 1,034 deaths and 1,366 injuries, reflecting a 21 percent rise in fatalities.

Overall conflict-related incidents, including militant attacks, counterterrorism operations, border clashes, and abductions, rose to 1,124 in 2025, representing a 43 percent increase compared to the previous year.

With inputs from IANS