PESHAWAR — At least 25 people, including 14 Khwaraj terrorists and 10 civilians, were killed on Monday when a powerful explosion ripped through an improvised explosive device (IED) manufacturing compound in the Tirah Valley of Khyber tribal district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials confirmed.
Police said the blast took place inside a factory operated by Khwaraj commanders Amaan Gul and Masood Tashkeel in the Akakhel area. The explosion flattened several nearby houses, leaving civilians — reportedly used as human shields by the militants — among the dead.
According to police sources, 14 Khwaraj members were killed in the incident, while 10 civilians lost their lives when at least five houses collapsed under the impact. Local residents confirmed that the factory had been set up in the middle of a residential cluster.
“There was an initial large explosion inside the IED factory, which engulfed surrounding houses,” a police officer told Balochistan Pulse. “The terrorists were using the civilian population as human shields, resulting in collateral damage.”
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — referred to as Khawarij by security forces — has long been accused of embedding its operations within populated areas to avoid direct strikes. Police dismissed allegations circulating online that the blast was the result of indiscriminate aerial bombing by security forces.
“The so-called bombing narrative is nothing but propaganda designed to protect terrorists and malign Pakistan’s armed forces,” a senior officer said. “Our operations are solely targeted against Khawarij terrorists, who destabilise the country through bloodshed and deceit.”
Local tribesmen also condemned the militants, accusing them of cowardice for conducting activities inside civilian dwellings and even mosques.
“This is their old tactic: use our people as shields and then blame the state,” one tribal elder remarked.
The incident highlights the continued threat posed by TTP-linked groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and their reliance on tactics that endanger local populations.
