Two killed in bomb attack on police vehicle in South Waziristan

By Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD: At least two people were killed and 14 others, including two policemen, were injured when a remotely detonated bomb targeted a police patrol vehicle in a bustling marketplace in Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal district on Thursday, officials said.

The explosion ripped through Wana Bazaar, near the main taxi stand, during rush hours, sending shockwaves of panic and chaos through the crowded market. Witnesses said the bomb went off moments after the police vehicle pulled up, shattering shop windows and sparking a stampede as people fled in terror.

“The blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated remotely,” Wana Deputy Superintendent of Police Shakirullah told reporters. “The police vehicle sustained minor damage, but unfortunately, civilians in the vicinity bore the brunt of the explosion.”

Hospital medics at the District Headquarters Hospital, where a state of emergency was declared, confirmed that two civilians succumbed to their injuries. Two of the 14 wounded, which included two policemen aboard the targeted vehicle, remain in critical condition.

Rescuers and law enforcement rushed to the scene, transporting the casualties for urgent medical care. Police and bomb disposal experts cordoned off the area, collecting forensic evidence as a manhunt was launched in nearby regions to track down those responsible.

The attack left Wana Bazaar, typically a hive of activity, deserted, with shops and businesses shuttered amid an atmosphere of fear and grief. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing, though officials pointed to a pattern of similar attacks carried out by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Authorities allege the TTP operates from safe havens across the border in Afghanistan. Local residents voiced growing alarm over the deteriorating security situation in the border district, once a stronghold of TTP militants. “We are living under constant threat. The government has failed to protect us,” said a shopkeeper.

Tribal elders condemned the attack, pressing for swift action to halt the bloodshed. “This is not the first such incident, and it won’t be the last unless a serious change is made in the security approach,” Malik Nazar Khan, a prominent elder, told journalists. “The people are gripped with fear and looking towards the state for protection.”

The deputy commissioner of South Waziristan Lower ordered a probe into the bombing, directing law enforcement to bring the perpetrators to justice. The attack is the latest in a wave of violence sweeping the volatile district in recent months. Remote-controlled blasts, ambushes, and targeted killings have surged in areas like Wana, Birmal, Shakai, and Ladha, targeting security forces, police, and civilians alike. Analysts warned that without decisive measures, the region risks sliding back into the chaos of 2008-2009, when terrorist groups held near-total control.