Gunmen Open Fire on UN Vehicle in Pakistan's Northwest

Gunmen attacked a bulletproof vehicle of a UN development agency in northwest Pakistan near Afghanistan. No one was harmed in the incident, and police are searching for the perpetrators. The Pakistani Taliban denied involvement, but the region has seen a rise in militant attacks recently.

Unidentified gunmen targeted a bulletproof vehicle carrying local staff of a UN development agency in Pakistan's restive northwest, bordering Afghanistan, on Tuesday. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, according to police.

The attack on the United Nations Office for Project Services vehicle occurred in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber. District Police Chief Abdul Salam confirmed that all passengers in the vehicle were unharmed.

Salam stated that police have initiated a search operation to locate and apprehend the attackers. While no group has claimed responsibility, the Pakistani Taliban has publicly denied involvement. Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks, especially in the northwest, with authorities often attributing such incidents to the Pakistani Taliban. The insurgent group, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is allied with the Afghan Taliban and has been emboldened since the latter took control in Afghanistan in 2021.

(With inputs from agencies.)