A suspected suicide bombing occurred on a Sunday evening outside a police station in Kabal town, located in the Swat Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, northwestern Pakistan.
The explosion took place while a group of local youths was protesting near or outside the police station. Protesters were chanting slogans against militants and demanding peace during the demonstration.
Reports regarding the number of fatalities vary, with figures ranging from 5 to 14 deaths. Casualty counts provided by different sources include 5, 7, and 14 people.
Injury reports also show discrepancies. Sources have reported that 15, 20, or 21 people were injured, while other accounts state that either more than a dozen or more than two dozen people were wounded.
City police chief Mohammad Omer stated that a severed head was found at the site, which may belong to the suicide bomber. Omer also said the suspected attacker acted alone and detonated explosives after being intercepted by police personnel while attempting to enter the station.
The Dawn newspaper reported that, according to officials, the attacker detonated explosives after being stopped by police at the door. District police chief Omar Khan said at least five officers were among the dead.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, a spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial emergency service, stated that local hospitals confirmed 14 fatalities and that the attacker struck dozens of people.
Authorities expressed concern that the death toll could increase because several injured individuals are in critical condition.
Islamabad has attributed the recent increase in militant attacks in the northwestern and southwestern regions of Pakistan to militants affiliated with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, whom it describes as being based in Afghanistan.
