ISLAMABAD: At least 14 people, including police personnel and civilians, were killed in a suspected suicide bombing after a peace rally concluded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Sunday, officials said.
Attack targets rally participants
The explosion occurred outside Kabal police station as participants dispersed after the Swat People’s Peace Uprising. Local residents and civil society groups had organized the rally to demand lasting peace and protest renewed militant violence.
OVER DOZEN KILLED as SUICIDE BOMBER BLOWS HIMSELF UP at CROWDED Pakistan ‘PEACE RALLY’ pic.twitter.com/2uOeacT3we
— RT (@RT_com) August 2, 2026
According to KP Rescue 1122 spokesperson Bilal Ahmed Faizi, the blast killed 14 people and injured 15 others. Rescue teams shifted the wounded to hospitals in Saidu Sharif and Mingora for treatment.
Meanwhile, Assistant Commissioner Kabal Ayesha Nasir said the apparent target was the police because the explosion occurred outside the police station’s main gate.
Investigation underway
Swat District Police Officer Umar Gandapur said investigators recovered the suspected suicide bomber’s head from the scene. He added that authorities had launched a detailed investigation into the attack.
Furthermore, police and other law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area and collected evidence. No group had claimed responsibility for the bombing at the time of filing.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the attack. He expressed condolences to the victims’ families and directed officials to submit a detailed report. Moreover, he instructed the health department to provide the best possible treatment to the injured without delay.
