After the DI Khan suicide bombing, the rescue ambulance caught fire.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN – Northwest Pakistan witnessed deadly scenes on Saturday when a suicide bomb blast rocked an anti-smuggling check post, followed by gunfire targeting a Rescue 1122 ambulance involved in the emergency response.
At least 12 people were killed and 35 others injured in the initial blast at the Aman Mela police check post on the DI Khan-Quetta road, officials said in the latest reports.
The blast occurred after an ammunition-laden vehicle rammed into a check post, triggering a powerful explosion that destroyed a large part of the installation and collapsed a nearby house. The magnitude of the explosion was reportedly felt for a long distance, while heavy gunfire was also heard afterwards.
Police say the attack was a suicide attack. This check post, located near the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Balochistan border near Mughalkot and Darzanda, is used for security and checking on the DI Khan-Quetta route.
The rescue operation turned deadly.
When emergency teams arrived to evacuate the injured, the violence took a more gruesome turn. Rescue 1122 ambulance which was taking the victims from the blast site came under fire. According to Rescue 1122 officials, one rescue worker was killed and two were seriously injured.
According to the rescue service, the dead rescue worker has been identified as Sharifullah, while Anis and Imtiaz are seriously injured. Despite the attack on their own team, rescue personnel continued their operations, evacuating victims and bodies from the blast site and providing emergency medical aid.
More than 25 rescue personnel, 6 ambulances and a fire engine participated in the first aid operation while 4 additional ambulances were dispatched from Dera Ismail Khan to evacuate the injured.
Explosion near Aman Mela in DI Khan, 11 people killed, 30 injured
According to the latest official assessment, 12 people were killed and 35 injured in the blast. The dead reportedly included men, women, a minor and a customs official, while police said no law enforcement or security personnel were among those killed in the initial blast.
Several injured were shifted to the district headquarters hospital, officials have directed medical teams to provide emergency treatment. A bomb disposal team was also sent to the scene to examine the scene and determine the nature of the explosives used.
The successive attacks have heightened security concerns in the region, which is already experiencing frequent militant violence. Security sources described the attack as yet another attack targeting security personnel and civilians, while concerns were raised over possible links between militants involved in illegal activities and criminal networks.
After the explosion, a large number of security personnel reached the area, surrounded the scene and started a search operation. The incident has also fueled anxiety among residents amid growing concerns over the deteriorating security environment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The latest violence comes amid a widespread increase in militant attacks across the province. According to monthly data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, 54 terrorist attacks were recorded in Sarzamin KP in August, compared to 36 in July, Dawn reported.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, President Asif Ali Zardari and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and expressed their condolences to the families of the victims.
Officials directed to provide best medical aid to the injured while rescue and security operations are ongoing in the affected area.
The post DI Khan Suicide Bomb Rescue Ambulance Under Fire appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.
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