A police officer was killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest at a mosque in northwest Pakistan. The attack occurred at the mosque in the region, resulting in the tragic loss of life.

 

According to Pakistani police, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest inside a roadside mosque while a police officer attempted to arrest him following a chase in northwestern Pakistan. The officer tragically lost his life in the incident.

On Tuesday, a suicide bomber detonated his explosive vest inside a roadside mosque in Khyber, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border in northwestern Pakistan. The incident occurred when a police officer attempted to arrest the suspect after a chase, resulting in the officer's death. It remains uncertain whether any worshippers were present at the mosque during the bombing. The impact of the explosion caused the mosque to collapse. According to police official Saleem Khan, there were no worshippers inside the mosque at the time the suspect sought refuge there. Pakistan has experienced an increase in militant violence since the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, ended a months-long cease-fire with the government last year.

The Pakistani Taliban is a distinct group but maintains an alliance with the Afghan Taliban. Following the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, during the final phases of the U.S. and NATO troops' withdrawal after two decades of war, the Pakistani Taliban has grown more assertive. The power shift in Afghanistan has bolstered their confidence and influence in the region.