At least 14 people were killed and 22 others wounded on Sunday evening when a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a police station in Kabal, a town in Pakistan's Swat Valley, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. The blast struck a crowd that had gathered to protest against rising violence in the region.

According to Swat District Police Officer Umar Khan, the bomber set off the explosives after police personnel attempted to stop and search him at the station's entrance. The explosion occurred near an intersection where hundreds of protesters had assembled, demanding government action to address the escalating security situation.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Fida Hussain confirmed that 22 people were wounded, some critically. The injured were transported to a hospital in nearby Saidu Sharif, while police cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.

Witnesses reported that the blast tore through the crowd as the final speaker was addressing the gathering, sending panicked residents fleeing. The protest was part of a series of demonstrations against militant attacks that have plagued the valley.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, offering condolences to the victims' families and prayers for the wounded. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges in the region, which has seen a resurgence of militant activity in recent months.

Source: www.aljazeera.com