Suicide Bombing Kills 14 at Pakistan Police Station

At least 14 people were killed in a suicide attack outside a police station in northwestern Pakistan. According to local authorities, the victims include five police officers, eight civilians and likely the attacker himself.

The explosion occurred in the Kabal area of Swat District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. At the time of the attack, a rally of local residents in support of the police was taking place nearby. It is not yet clear whether that rally was the target of the attack.

At least 18 people were injured in the explosion. Police have launched a manhunt for individuals who may have assisted the attacker.

The militant group Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack. In recent months, the group has intensified its attacks, particularly against security forces.

Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep sorrow over the attack and condemned the violence.

The security situation in Pakistan's border regions has deteriorated significantly in recent times. Islamabad accuses the ruling Taliban movement in neighboring Afghanistan of supporting Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants, a charge the Afghan side has long denied.

(Reuters, est)