Suicide attack kills 17 in Pakistan, TTP claims responsibility

Islamabad: At least 17 people including three policemen were killed and more than 30  wounded on Monday when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Pakistan’s Charsadda district in a court compound.Police said the incident occurred inside a district court compound in Shabqadar Bazaar of Charsadda.

A police official said the suicide bomber was attempting to enter the district court when intercepted by the security personnel, prompting him to blow himself up.

“The attacker fired shots before exploding himself up. The bodies of the victims have been shifted to the hospital,” he added. Hours after the attack, the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s splinter group Jammatul Ahrar claimed responsibility, saying it was revenge for Mumtaz Qadri’s execution.

The group’s spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan in a statement said, “We are responsible for the attack on the district court.”