Pakistan: 13 labourers killed in IED blast in North Waziristan

On Sunday (20 August), a Pakistani police official mentioned that 13 labourers have been killed and two others sustained accidents in a late-night explosion within the Shawal space of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s North Waziristan district. 

While talking with Pakistani information outlet Dawn, North Waziristan District Police Officer Naik Muhammad confirmed the loss of life toll. The police officer said that the incident passed off in Shawal area which is close to the Pak-Afghan border. He added that the van by which the labourers have been travelling was fully destroyed by the suspected improvised explosive machine (IED) blast. 

The authorities rapidly suspended all cell providers within the space in view of safety issues. 

Speaking to Reuters, Deputy Commissioner of North Waziristan, Rehan Khattak mentioned, “They were working at an army post that is under construction. An IED exploded under a vehicle carrying the labourers.”

According to the Police officers, the personal automobile carrying 16 labourers hit a landmine within the Gull Meer Kor space. Following the blast, the injured in addition to the lifeless our bodies have been rushed in the direction of a close-by hospital. 

As per a neighborhood chief Yar Gul, the terrorists wished to focus on a convoy of safety forces and had planted a bomb alongside the roadside. 

Among those that have misplaced their lives, 11 labourers hailed from the Mehsud tribe belonging to the Spin Kamar space of the district. The different two deceased labourers belonged to South Waziristan’s Lower Ahmedzai Wazir space. 

Following the phobia assault, Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar strongly condemned the assault. Taking to X, he mentioned, “Strongly condemn this senseless act of violence and stand in solidarity with the families affected.”

Heartbreaking to know concerning the terrorist assault in North Waziristan which claimed the lives of 11 harmless laborers. Strongly condemn this mindless act of violence and stand in solidarity with the households affected.

— Anwaar ul Haq Kakar (@anwaar_kakar) August 19, 2023

No terrorist organisation had instantly claimed accountability for the blast. However, Pakistan has repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for a string of lethal assaults of their tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, reported Aljazeera. 

Senior Pakistani officers have accused Taliban of not doing sufficient to manage the motion of armed teams from crossing the porous border. However, the Taliban has rejected all these allegations labelled towards them by Pakistani officers.

A string of assaults in Pakistan

Earlier, on the twelfth of August, two folks misplaced their lives in focused assaults in the identical district. Prior to that, on 8 August, 4 folks together with two policemen have been killed in separate assaults within the district and Peshawar. 

Last month, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police said that between June 18, 2022, and June 18, 2023, greater than 665 militant assaults have been reported within the province. Out of those 15 have been reported instances of suicide bombings. 

A Pakistani suppose tank named Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies just lately launched a report stating that greater than 389 folks have misplaced their lives in simply the primary half of the present 12 months.