A convoy of international diplomats has been targeted in a bomb attack in Pakistan’s Swat district. The incident occurred in Malam Jabba, a tourist area in the Swat Valley of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, where a vehicle carrying Pakistani security forces, responsible for protecting the diplomats, was hit by an improvised explosive device (IED).
Local authorities reported that the explosion near the convoy injured at least four police officers. One of the officers later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, while the condition of three others remains critical.
The convoy included diplomats from Bosnia, Russia, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Portugal. However, according to Swat Police, all the diplomats are safe, as the IED specifically targeted the police vehicles providing security. Pakistani forces have cordoned off the area and initiated an investigation, though no official statement has been released regarding the incident yet.
Militant Attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK)
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has experienced recurring episodes of violence, particularly in the form of militant attacks, since the early 2000s. The region, especially districts like Swat and Waziristan, has been a focal point for militancy, initially driven by Taliban insurgents after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Swat, once a thriving tourist destination, fell under the control of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) between 2007-2009.
The Pakistani military launched multiple operations, including a major offensive in 2009 that significantly weakened the militants and restored state control in the valley. However, sporadic attacks have continued, targeting security forces, local leaders, and, in some cases, tourists or foreigners, as militant groups reemerge in the area.
Such incidents reflect the ongoing security challenges in KPK despite years of Pakistan’s military efforts to eliminate terrorism. The TTP and other factions continue to employ IEDs and guerrilla tactics, making areas like Swat volatile, particularly for Pakistani security personnel and high-profile visitors.