Web Desk: Three civilians, including two women, were killed when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near Kandawa security post along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to preliminary reports.
The explosion was followed by an armed assault in which terrorists fired rocket-propelled grenades and automatic weapons at the security installation in an apparent attempt to breach its defences.
Security personnel stationed at the post responded immediately and prevented the attackers from entering the facility, the reports said.
According to the initial account, the attackers launched the assault using a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), followed by sustained gunfire and RPG-7 rocket attacks.
The suicide vehicle exploded outside the checkpost’s security perimeter, while other terrorists attempted to exploit the blast to advance towards the installation.
However, troops deployed at the post returned fire and successfully repelled the assault.
Preliminary information indicated that several attackers were hit during the exchange of fire, although the exact number of terrorist casualties could not be independently confirmed.
Security personnel subsequently launched a clearance operation in the surrounding area to identify any remaining threats and secure the vicinity.
Although the attackers failed to penetrate the security post, the powerful explosion caused extensive damage to nearby residential structures.
Three local residents, including one man and two women, were killed when the blast struck civilian houses close to the installation, according to the preliminary account.
Several homes were reportedly destroyed, leaving affected families facing significant losses.
The extent of the structural damage and the number of people displaced by the explosion have yet to be established.
Following the attack, Frontier Corps (FC) personnel began rescue and relief operations in the affected residential area.
Troops were assisting local families and assessing damage to homes near the blast site.
Meanwhile, security personnel continued to search the surrounding area as part of an operation aimed at preventing further attacks.
The immediate priority remained securing the location and providing assistance to civilians affected by the explosion.
Kandawa Post is located in the sensitive Pakistan-Afghanistan border region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where security forces maintain forward positions to monitor movement and counter terrorist infiltration.
The rugged terrain and proximity to the international frontier present persistent operational challenges for troops deployed in the region.
The latest assault highlights the continuing threat posed by terrorists using suicide vehicles and coordinated gunfire against security installations.
Security forces were continuing their clearance operation following the attack, while Frontier Corps personnel remained engaged in rescue efforts for affected residents.
The identities of the three civilians killed have not yet been released in the information provided.
No terrorist organisation was identified as responsible in the initial account, and there was no independently confirmed figure for the attackers’ casualties.
The circumstances of the attack, casualty figures and operational details await confirmation from an official security statement.
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