Pakistan: Accidental car bomb blast kills seven, including children

A powerful car bomb exploded in Mir Ali, a former Pakistani Taliban stronghold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest Pakistan, early Thursday, killing at least two children and five suspected militants.

Police reported that the blast occurred while commander Rasool Jan was fitting a bomb into a car at his home.

The force of the explosion collapsed the house, leaving two children dead in the rubble and injuring 14 others, including women. Some of those injured remain in critical condition.

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The Pakistani Taliban, who frequently target security forces in the region, arrived on the scene to retrieve the bodies of their slain comrades, said local police official Irfan Khan.

Authorities believe the bomb was intended for an attack in the area, where militants often deploy car bombs, rockets, and assault rifles.

Separately on Thursday, a suicide bomber in Charsadda district accidentally detonated his explosives on a deserted road, killing himself but causing no other casualties.

Authorities are investigating whether the explosives were attached to the bomber or his motorcycle.

The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are distinct from the Afghan Taliban but have grown increasingly active since the latter’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.