Suicide Bombers Target Security Complex in Pakistan’s Peshawar, Killing Three

By Staff, Agencies

A coordinated suicide attack targeted the Federal Constabulary [FC] headquarters in Peshawar early Monday, leaving at least three FC personnel dead and injuring several others, according to Pakistani media.

Dawn reported that one attacker detonated explosives at the main gate, while two others were shot before they could breach the complex.

Peshawar’s police chief, Mian Saeed Ahmad, confirmed that the quick response of security forces prevented the bombers from reaching an open-ground parade area where many personnel had gathered, averting a far greater tragedy.

The attack occurred in a densely populated part of the city, prompting authorities to seal off the area. Dawn also noted that at least six civilians were injured and taken to Lady Reading Hospital, where all were reported to be in stable condition. Emergency measures were declared at both Lady Reading and Khyber Teaching Hospital.

No group has claimed responsibility, though the Pakistan Taliban [TTP], which has carried out similar attacks and remains aligned with Afghanistan’s Taliban government, is widely suspected. The assault follows a suicide bombing in Islamabad less than two weeks earlier that killed 12 people.

Rising militant violence has further strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad accusing the TTP of operating from Afghan territory.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the attack, praised the security forces’ swift action, and vowed to bring those responsible to justice.