Death Toll Rises To 14 Police Officers In Pakistan Suicide Attack On Security Outpost

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — The decease toll from a termination onslaught connected a information station successful northwest Pakistan roseate to 14 constabulary officers, authorities said early Sunday, arsenic a self-proclaimed breakaway group of nan Pakistani Taliban claimed work for nan attack.

A termination bomber and respective gunmen detonated an explosives-laden conveyance precocious Saturday adjacent nan station successful Bannu, a territory successful Khyber Pakhtunkhwa state bordering Afghanistan, elder constabulary charismatic Sajjad Khan said. The onslaught triggered an aggravated shootout, and immoderate officers were killed successful nan speech while others died later aft nan building collapsed.

Rescuers conducted an hours-long hunt cognition utilizing dense machinery to retrieve bodies from nether nan rubble, Khan said, adding that 3 constabulary officers were wounded successful nan attack.

Meanwhile, hundreds gathered Sunday astatine nan constabulary office successful Bannu to be nan funerals of nan slain officers. Uniformed colleagues stood successful soundlessness arsenic coffins draped successful nan nationalist emblem were carried past grieving families. Some relatives collapsed down upon seeing nan coffins, arsenic a Muslim cleric led ceremonial prayers nether tight security

Security forces person launched an cognition to way down nan perpetrators.

A recently formed militant group, Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, claimed work for nan onslaught successful a connection sent to reporters. While nan group claims it was formed by splinter factions of nan Pakistani Taliban, known arsenic Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, authorities person accused it of being a beforehand for nan TTP.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge successful militant unit successful caller years, overmuch of it blamed connected nan TTP, a abstracted group but an state of nan Afghan Taliban, which returned to powerfulness successful Afghanistan successful 2021. Islamabad often accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities of providing sanctuary to nan TTP, a declare that Kabul denies.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned nan onslaught and offered condolences to nan victims’ families successful a statement. He besides instructed section authorities to assistance nan wounded and residents whose homes were damaged successful nan attack.

“Terrorists operating from sanctuaries successful Afghanistan nether nan Taliban management and supported externally are targeting civilians and rule enforcement unit successful Pakistan,” Zardari said. He besides vowed to target “their facilitators and sponsors.”

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif besides condemned nan attack.

Tensions betwixt nan 2 neighbors person persisted, and some sides person engaged successful fighting that has killed hundreds of group since precocious February.

In early April, Afghan and Pakistani officials held bid talks mediated by China. Despite nan talks, sporadic cross-border clashes person continued, though astatine a little intensity.

Khan and Ahmed constitute for nan Associated Press and reported from Peshawar and Islamabad, respectively. AP writers Rasool Dawar successful Peshawar and Ishtiaq Mahsud successful Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan, contributed to this report.