Peshawar, May 5 (PTI) Pakistani security forces have gunned down a suspected militant who was approaching a check post in an explosive-laden vehicle in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the police said on Tuesday.
The vehicle hit a nearby building, causing an explosion that injured seven persons. The explosion, the police said, affected a nearby petrol pump, a madrassa and several shops and houses.
All seven injured were civilians – they were taken to district hospitals and are out of danger, the police said.
The incident took place in the South Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan late on Monday.
According to the police, the suspected militant was about to hit a security check post with his explosive-laden vehicle. The troops stationed at the check post intercepted the vehicle and killed the driver before he could reach the target. Security forces later cordoned off the area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has faced recurring unrest over the years driven by militant violence, cross-border movement of fighters from Afghanistan and repeated military operations. Its mountainous terrain and porous frontier add to the challenges for security forces.
No particular group has claimed responsibility for this incident. But, in the past, the Pakistan government has accused the banned terror outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan of carrying out violence in the region, especially after its ceasefire deal with the outfit ended in 2022. PTI AYZ SKS SKS ABD ABD
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