Suicide bombing at paramilitary headquarters kills five

Two suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of Pakistan’s paramilitary forces on Monday, killing three security officials and wounding at least 12 others.

Police told the BBC Urdu program that the attackers were armed as they charged towards the federal police headquarters in Peshawar, northwest Pakistan.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The police station building is located in a high-security area of ​​Peshawar, and attackers would have to break through multiple layers of security to break into it.

Witnesses told local media they heard two loud explosions at around 08:10 local time (03:10 GMT) on Monday.

The area has been cordoned off and rescue crews are currently at the scene. Five security officials and seven civilians were injured, an official said.

Pakistani authorities described the attack as a “foiled terror plot” and noted that the attacker was shot dead at the door before managing to enter the building.

“The perpetrators of this incident should be identified and brought to justice as soon as possible,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

The Pakistan Federal Police, formerly known as the Border Police, handles situations that exceed the capabilities of the police force, including tribal incursions and gang violence.

Peshawar is part of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which lies on the border with Afghanistan and has long been a flashpoint for armed violence.

The Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, is active in the province and has claimed responsibility for similar attacks across the country.

Additional reporting by Kelly Wu