Three police officers killed in car bomb attack in northwest Pakistan

A car bombing at a police post has killed at least three officers in northwestern Pakistan and was followed by an ambush on personnel rushing to provide backup.

Police official Sajjad Khan said most of the 15 officers on duty at the post on the outskirts of Bannu are feared dead and that the installation has been destroyed.

"The terrorists first attacked the police post with an explosives-laden car, and then militants entered its premises and opened fire," another police official said.

Law enforcement personnel sent to help were ambushed, causing further casualties.

Police sources noted that the militants also used drones during the assault.

A state of emergency declared in government hospitals in Bannu as rescue agencies attend to the scene.

Border tensions

Such incidents have the potential to reignite fighting along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

The worst fighting in years erupted in February, with Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan targeting what Islamabad called militant strongholds.

Islamabad blames Kabul for harbouring militants who use Afghan soil to plot attacks.

The Afghan Taliban government has denied the allegations, maintaining that militancy in Pakistan is an internal problem.

While fighting has eased since February, no official ceasefire has been brokered between the two nations.

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Source: TRT