At least 10 people have been killed, and 40 wounded after a suicide bomber attacked a district court in the Pakistani city of Mardan early on Friday, police said, the latest assault targeting Pakistan’s legal community.
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Pakistani volunteers carry an injured person arrived from Mardan, at a local hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, Sept. 2, 2016.
The military said four attackers wearing suicide vests and carrying firearms were killed.
Both the attacks were claimed by terror outfit Jamaatul Ahrar (JA) who were also responsible for last month’s suicide attack at the Quetta Civil Hospital that killed 73 people, mostly lawyers.
The security forces responded promptly into action and killed all four assailants in the counterattack.
Pakistani Taliban faction Jamaat-ur-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Among the at least 12 people killed were four lawyers and three police officers.
Officials said the bomber had up to eight kilograms of explosives packed into his vest, while the dead included lawyers and police.
He said the attack was a response to the “Army’s spokesperson (Lt Gen Asim Bajwa’s) press conference who said yesterday that militant groups had been eliminated”. Five security officials and guards were wounded.
The attacker threw a hand grenade at the gate to the courts then blew blew himself up after security prevented him from getting inside, Senior Police Superintendent Shafiullah Khan said.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attacks in a statement released by his office.
Christians are a tiny minority in this majority Muslim nation.
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A Lewis personnel and a civilian were also killed during the exchange of fire while six others sustained injuries, ISRP stated.
