A suicide bomber killed nine police officers and wounded 16 others on Monday in an attack on their truck in southwestern Pakistan, officials said.
“The suicide bomber was riding a motorbike and hit the truck from behind,” senior police official Abdul Hai Aamir told AFP.
The incident took place at Dhadar, the main town of Kachhi district, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) southeast of Quetta in Balochistan.
Mehmood Notezai, police chief for Kachhi district, told AFP the police were returning from a week-long cattle show where they had been providing security.
So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
As soon as the incident was reported, local administration and security forces reached the spot.
The Balochistan Constabulary (BC) personnel were returning from duty in Sibi Mela when they were targeted. The truck overturned due to the intensity of the explosion, the report said.
The bodies and injured personnel were shifted to Sibi district where they were provided medical aid. The condition of some of the injured is reportedly critical.
The BC is a department of the provincial police force that provides security at important events and in sensitive areas, including jails.
The blast comes on the heels of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and areas bordering Afghanistan.
(with inputs from PTI)
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