Daily Times

BANNU: At least two policemen sustained injuries after a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the main entrance to Mandan Police Station on Tuesday.

According to reports, a suicide bomber driving an explosives-packed car tried to enter the Mandan Police Station early in the day. After being spotted by the policemen on duty, the suicide bomber detonated the explosives near the main gate of the police station.

As a result, two policemen, identified as Mudassar and Alam Khan, sustained injuries.

The main entrance to the police station was destroyed, while the its building and nearby shops and houses were partially damaged. According to reports, around 220 kilogrammes of explosives were used in the attack. Gunshots were also heard soon after the blast, locals said.

Law enforcers soon reached the site of the explosion and sifted the injured policemen to the District Headquarters Hospital. The injured are out of danger, hospital sources said.

Meanwhile, law enforcers cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

Deputy Inspector General Muhammad Ali and District Police Officer Fazal Mehmood visited the police station and later went to the hospital and inquired about the health of the injured policemen.

It may be mentioned here that the same police station had been targeted in a similar fashion in 2009, when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden truck into the police station, killing around 100 persons and injuring many others.