At least seven people were killed and 16 others wounded on Monday after a powerful bomb exploded outside the office of a pro-government peace committee in South Waziristan, northwest Pakistan.
The blast occurred in Wana, the main city in South Waziristan district, a region once considered a stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban.
Usman Wazir, a local police chief, was quoted by news agency The Associated Press as saying that the bomb specifically targeted the peace committee office, which publicly opposes the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The committee also plays a role in resolving local disputes. Police officials described the explosion as “powerful,” leaving significant casualties and damage at the scene.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. However, suspicion quickly turned toward the TTP, which frequently targets security forces, civilians, and organisations seen as collaborating with the Pakistani state.
The Pakistani Taliban, while a distinct entity, maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban who took power in Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of US and Nato troops.
The blast came just a day after Pakistan’s military announced it had killed 54 militants during an operation in the neighbouring North Waziristan district. According to AP, those militants had attempted to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan, underlining the continued volatility along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The Pakistani Taliban’s resurgence has been a major concern for Islamabad, particularly since many of its leaders and fighters have found safe haven in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s security situation remains tense in other regions as well. In a separate incident in Balochistan province, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) claimed responsibility for a deadly roadside bomb attack on April 25, which killed ten Pakistani military personnel and injured three others in Quetta.
The BLA said that a remote-controlled IED was used in the attack targeting a bomb disposal squad vehicle.
Pakistan continues to face threats from insurgent groups across different provinces. While the TTP focuses mainly on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and border regions, the BLA has carried out a series of deadly attacks in Balochistan.
