A <a href="https://news.ad-astra.icu/pakistan-political-rally-targeted-by-suicide-bombing-resulting-in-multiple-casualties.html" title="Pakistan political rally targeted by suicide bombing, resulting in multiple casualties”>suicide bomber detonated explosives at a political rally in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 44 people and wounding nearly 200, according to officials.
The blast took place on Sunday at a gathering of the conservative Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party on the outskirts of Khar in Pakistan’s northwestern Bajaur district, which borders Afghanistan.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Provincial police said in a statement that the suicide bomber set off his explosives vest close to the stage where several senior party leaders were sitting. It said initial investigations suggested the ISIL (ISIS) group could be behind the attack and officers were still investigating.
The armed group has been active in neighbouring Afghanistan after the fall of President Ashraf Ghani’s government. It opposes Afghanistan’s Taliban administration and has members known to cross the porous mountainous border and hide in the Peshawar area.
Feroz Jamal, the provincial information minister, told The Associated Press news agency that so far, 44 people had been “martyred” and nearly 200 wounded in the attack.
Original from www.aljazeera.com