By Adesakin Adefemi
At least 14 people, including 11 security personnel and three civilians, were killed on Monday in a series of violent attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to a security official who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The deadliest incident occurred in Bajaur tribal district when a suicide bomber drove an explosives‑laden vehicle into the wall of a religious college. The blast killed eight police and Frontier Corps members inside the seminary and left ten others wounded; a nearby child also died when roofs of adjacent houses collapsed.
Hours later, a bomb hidden in a rickshaw detonated at the Miryan police station in Bannu, killing two civilians and injuring 17. The explosion sent shockwaves through the town, shattering windows and scattering debris across the market area.
In Shangla district, a joint search operation turned into a firefight, resulting in the deaths of three police officers and three militants. Police said the militants were linked to attacks on Chinese nationals working on development projects in the region.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police released a statement noting that the slain militants had “targeted Chinese nationals” and posed a threat to the Silk Road corridor and China‑Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. A counter‑terrorism operation was launched in response.
The attacks come amid a surge of insurgent activity in Pakistan’s border provinces, with groups such as the Islamic State claiming recent high‑profile bombings, including a March suicide blast that killed five Chinese workers on a dam site.
Local hospitals were overwhelmed as relatives rushed injured victims for treatment. “We are doing everything we can, but the number of casualties is high,” said a doctor at Bannu’s district hospital, who asked not to be named.
Government officials condemned the violence and vowed to intensify security measures. “These cowardly acts will not deter our resolve to protect citizens and foreign partners,” a provincial minister said in a brief press briefing.
The Chinese embassy in Islamabad expressed condolences and urged Pakistan to safeguard its nationals and projects, emphasizing the strategic importance of CPEC to both countries.
Authorities have sealed off affected areas, launched investigations, and called on residents to remain vigilant as security forces continue operations to root out militant networks.
