Bombing kills at least 12 in northwest Pakistan, police say
Two attackers rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into the wall of the compound in Bannu and other attackers stormed the site before being repelled, a security official who requested anonymity told The Associated Press news agency.
Muhammad Noman, a spokesman for Bannu District Hospital, said 12 people were killed and 30 wounded in the attack, adding they were all civilians who had been caught under collapsed buildings and walls.
At least seven children were among those killed, a hospital list showed.
A group affiliated with the Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack and said that dozens of members of Pakistani security forces were killed. There was no immediate comment from the military regarding any casualties.
A police official speaking on condition of anonymity told the news agency AFP that six attackers were killed in an 'exchange of fire' after the attack.
The blasts, he said, had created 'two four-foot craters' and were so strong that at least eight houses in the area were left damaged.
Jaish al-Fursan claimed responsibility for the attack, the third assault in Pakistan since Ramadan started Sunday. In a statement, the group said the source of the blasts were explosive-laden vehicles.
Ali Amin Gandapur, chief minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, condemned the incident and said he had sought a report from senior police officials on the blast.
The attack comes days after a suicide bomber killed six people at an Islamic religious school in Pakistan, attended by key Taliban leaders in the same province.
Last year was the deadliest in a decade for Pakistan, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to Islamabad-based analysis group the Center for Research and Security Studies.
Islamabad accuses Kabul's rulers of failing to root out fighters sheltering on Afghan soil as they prepare to stage assaults on Pakistan, a charge the Taliban government denies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Qatar Tribune
8 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
US suspends visas for Gaza residents after right-wing social media storm
Washington: The United States has announced that it is halting all visitor visas for people from Gaza pending 'a full and thorough' review, a day after social media posts about Palestinian refugees sparked furious reactions from right-wingers. The Department of State's move on Saturday came a day after far-right activist and President Trump ally Laura Loomer posted on X that Palestinians 'who claim to be refugees from Gaza' entered the US via San Francisco and Houston this month. 'How is allowing for Islamic immigrants to come into the US America First policy?' she said on X in a later post, going on to report further Palestinian arrivals in Missouri and claiming that 'several US Senators and members of Congress' had texted her to express their fury. By Saturday, the State Department announced it was stopping visas for 'individuals from Gaza'. (Agencies)
Qatar Tribune
13 hours ago
- Qatar Tribune
Foreign ministers of 31 Arab, Islamic countries, Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Cooperation Council for Arab States secretaries-general condemn Israeli PM's 'Greater Israel' statements
DOHA: The Foreign Ministers of the State of Qatar, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the People's Republic of Bangladesh, the Republic of Chad, the United Republic of the Comoros, the Republic of Djibouti, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Republic of Gambia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Republic of Iraq, the State of Kuwait, the Lebanese Republic, the State of Libya, the Republic of Maldives, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the Kingdom of Morocco, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Sultanate of Oman, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the State of Palestine, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Republic of Senegal, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Republic of Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Yemen, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Secretary-General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf have condemned in the strongest terms the statements made by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel (the occupying power), as reported by the Israeli media, regarding the so-called 'Greater Israel', which represent a gross disregard for It is a blatant and dangerous violation of the rules of international law and the foundations of stable international relations, and constitutes a direct threat to Arab national security, the sovereignty of states, and regional and international security and peace. They emphasized that while Arab and Islamic countries affirm their respect for international legitimacy and the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, which prohibits the use or threat of force, Arab and Islamic countries will adopt all policies and measures that frame and consolidate peace, thereby realizing the interests of all countries and peoples in terms of security, stability, and development, far removed from the illusion of control and the imposition of force. They also condemned in the strongest terms the approval by extremist Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the settlement plan in the E1 area and his extremist racist statements rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state. They considered this a flagrant violation of international law and a blatant assault on the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent, sovereign state on the June 4, 1967, lines, with occupied Jerusalem as its capital. They emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory. They affirmed their absolute rejection and condemnation of this settlement plan and all illegal Israeli measures, which constitute a flagrant violation of international law and Security Council resolutions, particularly Resolution 2334, which condemns all Israeli settlement activities aimed at altering the demographic composition, character, and legal status of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Palestine. They also reaffirmed the Advisory Opinion issued by the International Court of Justice, which emphasized the illegality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory and the need to end it immediately, eliminate its effects, and provide redress for its damages. They warned of the danger of Israeli intentions and policies aimed at annexing Palestinian territories, and the continued extremist Israeli government's expansionist settlement approach in the occupied West Bank. This includes attempts to undermine Islamic and Christian holy sites, foremost among them the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif, settler terrorism, daily incursions into Palestinian cities, villages, and camps, the systematic destruction of Palestinian refugee camps, and the displacement of Palestinians from their homes. All of this contributes directly to fueling cycles of violence and conflict and undermines the chances of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region. They also warned against relying on ideological and racist illusions, which threaten to intensify the conflict, making its course difficult to control or predict, and threatening regional and international security and stability alike. In a related context, the foreign ministers of Arab and Islamic countries, the League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation reiterated their rejection and condemnation of the crimes of Israeli aggression, genocide, and ethnic cleansing. They also affirmed the need for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, while ensuring unconditional access to humanitarian aid to halt the systematic starvation policy used by Israel as a weapon of genocide. This requires an immediate end to the deadly Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, the opening of Israeli crossings with the Gaza Strip, and holding Israel, the occupying power, fully responsible for the consequences of its crimes in the Gaza Strip, including the collapse of the health and relief systems, as an occupying power. They also reaffirmed their complete and absolute rejection of the displacement of the Palestinian people in any form and under any pretext, and called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its aggression and fully withdraw from the Gaza Strip, in preparation for the creation of appropriate conditions for the implementation of the Arab-Islamic plan for early recovery and reconstruction efforts in the Strip. They emphasizedthat the Gaza Strip is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and the necessity for the State of Palestine to assume governance responsibilities in the Gaza Strip as well as in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, with Arab and international support, within the framework of the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the policy of one system, one law, and one legitimate weapon. In this context, they called on the international community, especially the permanent members of the Security Council, particularly the United States of America, to assume their legal and moral responsibilities and take immediate action to compel Israel to halt its ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip and its dangerous escalation in the occupied West Bank, and to stop the delusional, inflammatory statements issued by its officials. They also called on Israel to provide protection to the Palestinian people and enable them to realize their legitimate rights, foremost among which is their right to establish an independent, sovereign state on their national soil, and to hold accountable those who commit crimes and violations against the Palestinian people.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Al Jazeera
Afghans in US mark Taliban Kabul takeover amid Trump immigration crackdown
Four years have passed since Hanifa Girowal fled Afghanistan on a US evacuation flight. But every August, her mind returns to the same place. Like many Afghans evacuated amid the August 15 Taliban takeover of Kabul, Girowal, who worked in human rights under the former Afghan government, still remains stuck in 'legal limbo' in the United States. She is steadfastly pursuing a more stable status in the US, even as the political landscape surrounding her, and thousands of other Afghans in similar situations, shifts. 'I somehow feel like I'm still stuck in August 2021 and all the other Augusts in between, I can't remember anything about them,' Girowal told Al Jazeera. She often recalls the mad dash amid a crush of bodies at the crowded Kabul International Airport: people shot in front of her, a week of hiding, a flight to Qatar, then Germany and then finally, the US state of Virginia. Followed by the early days of trying to begin a new life from the fragments of the old. 'Everything just comes up again to the surface, and it's like reliving that trauma we went through, and we have been trying to heal from since that day,' she said. The struggle may have become familiar, but her disquiet has been heightened since US President Donald Trump took office on January 20. His hardline immigration policies have touched nearly every immigrant community in the US, underscoring vulnerabilities for anyone on a precarious legal status. There is a feeling that anything could happen, from one day to the next. 'I have an approved asylum case, which gives a certain level of protection, but we still don't know the future of certain policies on immigration,' Girowal said. 'I am very much fearful that I can be subjected to deportation at any time.' Unheeded warnings Four years after the US withdrawal, much remains unclear about how Trump's policies will affect Afghans who are already in the US, estimated to total about 180,000. They arrived through a tangle of different avenues, including 75,000 flown in on evacuation flights in the immediate aftermath of the withdrawal, as the administration of US President Joe Biden undertook what it dubbed 'Operation Allies Welcome'. Thousands more have since sought asylum by making treacherous journeys across the world to traverse the US southern border. Some have relocated via so-called Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), reserved for individuals who worked directly with the US military in Afghanistan, under a notoriously backlogged programme. Others have been resettled through a special State Department programme, known as Priority 1 (P1) and Priority 2 (P2), launched by the administration of President Biden, meant for Afghans who face persecution for having worked in various capacities on behalf of the US government or with a US-based organisation in Afghanistan. Adam Bates, a supervisory policy counsel at the International Refugee Assistance Programme, explained that some of those pathways, most notably the SIV and refugee programmes, provide a clear course towards US residency and, eventually, citizenship. But, he clarified, others do not – a fact that advocates have warned leaves members of the population subject to perpetual uncertainty and political whims. 'A lot of the advocacy to the Biden administration officials was about finding more permanent legal pathways for Afghans,' Bates told Al Jazeera. 'That was with one eye towards the potential of giving the Trump administration this opportunity to really double down and target this community.' Pressure on Afghans in the US During Trump's new term, his administration has taken several concrete – and at times contradictory – moves that affect Afghans living in the US. It ended 'temporary protected status' (TPS) for Afghans already in the country at the time of the Taliban takeover, arguing the country shows 'an improved security situation' and 'stabilising economy', a claim contradicted by several human rights reports. At the same time, the Trump administration added Afghanistan to a new travel ban list, restricting visas for Afghans, saying such admissions broadly run counter to US 'foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism'. These actions underscore that 'the situation in Afghanistan seems to be whatever it needs to be, from the Trump administration's perspective,' according to Bates. Trump has offered his contradictory messaging, criticising the Biden administration on the campaign trail for its handling of the withdrawal, and as recently as July, pledging to 'save' evacuated Afghans subject to deportation from the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, the administration terminated a special status for those who entered the US via the CBP One app in April, potentially affecting thousands of Afghans who entered via the southern border. Advocates warn that many more Afghans may soon be facing another legal cliff. After being evacuated in 2021, tens of thousands of Afghans were granted humanitarian parole, a temporary status that allowed them to legally live and work in the US for two years, with an extension granted in 2023. That programme is soon set to end. While many granted the status have since sought other legal avenues, most often applying for asylum or SIVs, an unknown number could be rendered undocumented and subject to deportation when the extension ends. Legislation creating a clearer pathway to citizenship has languished in Congress for years. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not publicly released how many evacuated Afghans remain in the US on humanitarian parole, and did not respond to Al Jazeera's request for the data. Evacuated Afghans' unease has been compounded by Trump's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement, which has increasingly seen those without criminal histories targeted for deportations and permanent residents targeted for their political advocacy. 'It's just an escalation across the board and a compounding of fear and instability in this community,' Bates said. 'It's hard to make life decisions if you aren't sure what's going to happen tomorrow or next week or in a year'. 'Pulled the rug out' Meanwhile, for the thousands of Afghans continuing to seek safety in the US from abroad, pathways have been severely constricted or have become completely blocked. The Trump administration has paused asylum claims at the US southern border, citing a national emergency. It has almost completely suspended the US Refugee Program (USRAP), allowing only a trickle of new refugees in amid an ongoing legal challenge by rights groups. Advocates say the special P1 and P2 programme created for Afghan refugees appears to have been completely halted under Trump. The administration has not published refugee admission numbers since taking office, and did not reply to Al Jazeera's request for data. 'It feels as if we have pulled the rug out from many of our Afghan allies through these policy changes that strip legal protection for many Afghans in the US and limit pathways for Afghans who are still abroad to come to the US safely,' Kristyn Peck, the chief executive officer of the Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area, told Al Jazeera. She noted that the SIV pipeline has continued to operate under Trump, although there have been some limitations, including requiring those approved for relocation to pay for their own travel. Meanwhile, resettlement agencies like Lutheran have been forced to seriously curtail their operations following a stop-work order from the administration on January 24. As of March, Peck said, the organisation has been forced to let go of about 120 of its staff. Susan Antolin, the executive director of Women for Afghan Women, a non-profit organisation that offers mental health, legal and social support to Afghans in the US, said organisations like hers are also bracing for sustained uncertainty. 'We are diversifying our funding and trying very hard, as so many other organisations are, to find other avenues to bring in that funding to continue to support our programmes,' she told Al Jazeera. 'As organisations that deal with this kind of work, we have to step up. We have to do 10 times more, or 100 times more, of the work.' 'No more a priority for the world' The unstable situation in the US reflects a broader global trend. The Taliban government, despite promising reforms in a push for international recognition, has continued to be accused of widespread human rights abuses and revenge killings. Still, it has upgraded diplomatic ties with several governments in recent years, and in July, Russia became the first country to formally recognise the group as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. At the same time, the governments of Pakistan and Iran have accelerated expulsions of Afghans back to Afghanistan, with more than 1.4 million Afghans either being expelled or leaving Iran alone from January to July of 2025, according to UNHCR. The Reuters news agency also reported in July that the UAE had notified Washington that it had begun returning evacuated Afghans. Germany, too, has begun deporting Afghans back to Afghanistan, in July, it conducted its second deportation flight since the Taliban came to power, despite continuing not to recognise or maintain diplomatic ties with the group. The collective moves send a clear message, evacuee Girowal said: 'We know that Afghanistan is no more a priority for the world.' Still, she said she has not abandoned hope that the US under Trump's leadership will 'not forget its allies'. 'I know the resilience of our own Afghan community. We are trained to be resilient wherever we are and fight back as much as we can,' she said. 'That's one thing that gives me hope.'
