Three suicide bombers staged an attack on the headquarters of a Pakistani paramilitary force in Peshawar on Monday, resulting in the deaths of three personnel and injuries to at least five others, as confirmed by authorities. The assailants initiated the assault by gunfire upon breaching the Federal Constabulary headquarters before detonating explosives within the premises, according to police sources.
Javed Iqbal, the deputy commandant of the force, reported that three paramilitary personnel lost their lives in the incident. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity due to lack of media authorization, explained the sequence of events, detailing how the attackers infiltrated the compound following the initial detonation.
Law enforcement agencies, including the military and police, swiftly cordoned off the area and are actively managing the situation, suspecting the presence of additional terrorists within the headquarters, as mentioned by an official familiar with the matter. The headquarters, situated in a densely populated section of Peshawar, has been sealed off to traffic by army, police, and security personnel, safeguarding the vicinity.
The injured individuals, comprising two paramilitary personnel among others, were promptly transported to Lady Reading Hospital for treatment, as confirmed by hospital spokesperson Mohammad Asim. As of now, no specific militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Recent weeks have witnessed a surge in attacks by Islamist militants in the region, following heightened tensions after border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan in the previous month. Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of sheltering militants responsible for cross-border assaults, a claim refuted by Kabul.