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Updated 01 Aug, 2023 04:09pm

Bajaur suicide bombing death toll rises to 55

The death toll from the suicide bombing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district targeting a religiopolitical party increased to 55 after a wounded person died on Tuesday.

“Rahat Ullah, 25, was admitted to the ICU,” Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar spokesperson Muhammad Asim told Aaj News. “Another patient admitted to the ICU is in critical condition.”

A massive explosion ripped through a Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F workers’ convention in Bajaur’s Khar on July 30. According to the JUI-F, the deceased also included most of their young supports who they described as its “biggest asset”.

Read: Initial investigations point to IS involvement in Bajaur blast

The Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar added that at least five wounded were brought to the hospital on Monday night, bringing the total number of injured at the hospital to 20.

The banned Islamic State-Khorasan militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. Around 300 supporters of JUI-F were attending the convention, which was held as part of the party election campaign.

The toll from Sunday’s attack in the Bajaur district on the border with Afghanistan could rise, said Anwar-ul-Haq, the region’s deputy commissioner, told Reuters.

Da’esh and JUI have ideological differences which was why the religiopolitical party was being at the crosshairs of the militant organisation, according to officials and analysts.

The banned terrorist organisation has so far killed more than 40 leaders of JUI. Maulana Ziaullah Jan, the JUI-F’s ameer in Khar, and Maulana Hameedullah Jan, the general secretary of the party in Nawagai, were also killed.

The complaint for the Bajaur blast has been registered against unidentifiable terrorists on the charges of terrorism, murder, attempt to murder, and mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees.

The additional IGP was of the view that an investigation was under way they were closer to catching the perpetrators of the attack. The police have so far claimed to have arrested three suspects

Footage of the incident showed the blast occurred near the stage at the convention.

The United Security Council has condemned the blast and described all forms of terrorism as a threat to global peace.

Meanwhile, the interim KP government has imposed a ban on public gatherings in the province.

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