Terror attack: Bus blast in Peshawar kills 15

In yet another terror attack in Pakistan, at least fifteen people were killed and several others wounded when a bomb exploded on a bus carrying government employees in Peshawar. The attack took place at one of the main commercial markets of the city. The bus was ferrying government employees from neighbouring districts around Peshawar. “At least 15 people were killed in the blast targeting the bus carrying government officials,” Abbas Majeed Marwat, SSP operations Peshawar, said. He said about 50 people were on board the bus at the time of explosion. Senior police officer Kashif Zulfiqar said that the blast was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) planted inside the bus. It is estimated that about 8 kg of explosives were used in blast. Condemning the attacks in Peshawar, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: “These cowardly attacks cannot shatter our unflinching resolve against terrorism.” As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks. However, the Taliban is suspected to be behind the attacks. Terror attacks have been decreased since Pakistan’s crackdown on terror groups after the 2014 school attack, and the country managed to push the terror groups into various small pockets in the region. But, militant outfits are still able to carry out attacks on security forces and civilian targets.