Seven killed, dozens injured in market blast in Pakistan’s Bannu VIDEO

Seven people, including two police officers and five civilians, were killed in a blast at a market in the Pakistani city of Bannu close to the border with Afghanistan on May 12, with dozens of others injured.

Rescue authorities said emergency services, including ambulances and fire crews, were dispatched to the scene immediately after the explosion, Caliber.Az reports, citing Reuters.

According to a senior police official, the attack occurred at Tehsil Sarai Nawrang Bazar.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Nawrang Saeed Khan reported that those with serious injuries were transported to hospitals. At THQ Hospital, medical superintendent Mohammad Ishaq said 37 injured people had been admitted so far, with several in critical condition.

Images from the site showed extensive damage, including destroyed shopfronts and a severely damaged vehicle.

The latest attack follows a separate incident on May 9 in the same region, where a car bombing and armed assault on a police post killed 15 officers. Pakistan has blamed Afghanistan-based militants for that attack and formally protested to Kabul.

The Taliban-led Afghan government said on May 11 that it had no immediate comment. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of providing safe havens for militants who launch cross-border attacks, while the Taliban deny the claims and argue that security issues in Pakistan are an internal matter.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov