Pakistan: Suicide Attack in D.I. Khan Kills 15, Injures More Than 35

Peshawar (Terror Monitor) — At least 15 people were killed and more than 35 others injured in a suicide attack near a joint checkpoint operated by security forces, Customs and other government agencies in the Darazinda area of Dera Ismail Khan district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A Rescue 1122 ambulance transporting the dead and injured was later targeted by gunfire, killing one rescue worker and injuring two others.

According to police and local officials, the explosion occurred on Saturday near a joint checkpoint close to the site of an Aman Mela in Darazinda. Initial reports said a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the checkpoint.

The blast severely damaged the checkpoint building and caused the roof of a nearby house to collapse. Local sources said smoke engulfed the area following the explosion as rescue operations began immediately.

Officials at the Darazinda Type-D Hospital said several bodies and more than 35 injured people were brought to the facility. At least 25 seriously injured victims were later transferred to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dera Ismail Khan for further treatment and surgery.

Officials said the dead included civilians as well as personnel from Customs and other government departments. An Excise inspector, checkpoint staff members, an excavator operator, two women and a two-year-old girl were among those killed.

Dera Ismail Khan Regional Police Officer Ghulam Mubashir Maken said no Pakistan Army or police personnel were killed in the blast. He said one Customs official was among the dead, while the remaining victims were civilians.

According to Rescue 1122, teams from the Darazinda station reached the scene shortly after receiving information about the explosion. Additional ambulances and rescue personnel were later dispatched from Dera Ismail Khan.

Rescue 1122 Ambulance Targeted

Following the explosion, a Rescue 1122 ambulance was transporting a body and an injured person to Dera Ismail Khan when unidentified armed terrorists opened fire on the vehicle near Daraban.

Dera Ismail Khan District Police Officer Ziauddin said the attack killed one rescue worker and injured two others. The injured were transported to Dera Ismail Khan, while the body of the deceased rescue worker was also taken to a hospital.

Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack on the ambulance and expressed grief over the targeting of rescue personnel.

TTP Claims Responsibility

The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, local authorities have yet to independently confirm the claim, and further details are awaited.

Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban government of allowing the TTP to operate from Afghan territory, an allegation the Taliban government denies.

The attack comes amid heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, with both sides exchanging accusations and carrying out operations in recent days.

Strategic Importance of Darazinda

Darazinda is located in western Dera Ismail Khan near South Waziristan and lies along an important route connecting Dera Ismail Khan with Zhob and Balochistan. Its location makes the area significant from both security and geographical perspectives.

Security forces, Customs, Excise and other government personnel are deployed in the area because of its proximity to South Waziristan and Balochistan and its difficult mountainous terrain.

Following the attack, security was increased in the area. Authorities are collecting evidence and conducting investigations to identify and apprehend those responsible.

Security forces, government installations and rescue personnel have repeatedly been targeted in attacks across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent years. Dera Ismail Khan and the adjoining southern districts remain among the areas affected by militant violence.