A suicide attack on the Federal Constabulary (FC) headquarters in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, resulted in the death of three security personnel and the three assailants. The attack took place early on a Monday morning.
Three security personnel and Three suicide bombers. At least 6 civilians were wounded and taken to Lady Reading Hospital; all reported to be in stable condition. Three militants attempted to storm the headquarters. One bomber detonated explosives at the gate, killing the three security officers stationed there. The other two were shot dead by FC personnel before they could fully enter the premises. Peshawar Police Chief Mian Saeed Ahmad stated the terrorists were on foot and failed to reach the main parade area where a "large number of security personnel were on open ground for morning parade drills." A timely response prevented a "much larger tragedy."
The complex is in a densely populated area. The area was cordoned off. An emergency was declared at Lady Reading Hospital and Khyber Teaching Hospital.
No group has claimed responsibility. The Pakistan Taliban (TTP), separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, has been blamed for similar recent assaults.
The attack comes less than two weeks after a separate suicide bombing outside a court in Islamabad. The ongoing surge in violence is straining ties between Islamabad and Afghanistan's Taliban government Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack, praised the security forces' timely response, and vowed to thwart terrorist "evil designs."
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