Nine injured in Mardan suicide bombing

DPO Faisal said the remains of the suicide bomber had been gathered and the attacker was apparently in his early 20s

MARDAN: A suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a police vehicle in Mardan, injuring at least nine people in the targeted attack on Monday.

Initial investigation suggested the bomber’s suicide vest exploded as he tried to move close to the vehicle of SHO Ashiq Hussain parked near the City police station, Mardan DPO Faisal Shahzad told reporters. The official security guard and driver of Hussain were among the nine injured victims.

Eyewitnesses, however, disputed the police version, saying a few gunshots were fired before the explosion took place.

SSP operations in Mardan Safiullah Khan said the bomber was carrying about five kilograms of explosives in his vest while the motorcycle he was on had another 5.5 kilos of explosive material strapped to it.

The SSP said the bomber’s target was the SHO.

The bomb disposal unit was called to the spot as another bomb was strapped to a cycle parked nearby, said a police official. The bomb was later detonated in a controlled explosion, causing widespread panic among the people, who thought another bombing had taken place.

DPO Faisal said the remains of the suicide bomber had been gathered and it apparently the attacker was in his early 20s.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2016.