At least seven people were killed in two roadside bomb blasts in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, according to police officials. The first explosion targeted a passenger pick-up truck in Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. As rescuers rushed the injured to a hospital, a second improvised explosive device was detonated, wounding three more individuals.
Police officer Yasir Afridi confirmed that the first device was remote-controlled. No group has claimed responsibility, but the Pakistani Taliban and other militant organizations are active in the region.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attacks and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The bombings come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistan has blamed the Afghan Taliban government for allowing militant sanctuaries on Afghan soil, a charge Kabul denies. Recent cross-border clashes have included Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory, which Islamabad says targeted Taliban fighters, while Afghan officials report civilian casualties. The border has been largely closed since October, disrupting trade and travel.