Two Killed in Remote-Controlled Bomb Blast Near Bajaur Dam
Two residents were killed when a remotely operated explosive device detonated near the Tali small dam in Salarzai tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bajaur district, prompting police to seal the location and launch a search for those responsible. The explosion occurred on Saturday evening as local young people gathered near the dam, a place commonly visited for recreation before sunset.
Police said unidentified attackers had planted an improvised explosive device close to the reservoir within the jurisdiction of Salarzai Police Station. The device was reportedly activated from a distance while people were present in the area, killing two men immediately and creating panic among nearby residents.
District police identified the victims as Suleman Khan and Ghulam Khan, both residents of the Tali area. Officers and emergency personnel reached the scene soon after the blast, restricted public access and began collecting material that could help investigators determine the type of device used and how it was triggered.
Police spokesperson Mansoor Khan said an investigation had been opened to establish the motive and identify the perpetrators. Another official, Israr Khan, said security personnel were conducting a search operation in the surrounding area. No organisation had claimed responsibility for the attack by the time the initial report was released.
Local residents said Suleman Khan worked as a teacher at Government High School Pashat, the principal town of Salarzai tehsil. His death intensified public anger over the attack because the victims appeared to be civilians spending time at a community location rather than participants in any security or political activity.
An Awami National Party activist suggested that peace campaigner and party spokesperson Obaidullah Khan Salarzai could have been the intended target because he frequently visited the dam in the evening. The suggestion remained unverified, however, and provincial lawmaker Mohammad Nisar Baz Khan said he had contacted Obaidullah and confirmed that the activist was at home when the explosion occurred.
Political and community representatives condemned the bombing and expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. Bajaur Amn Jirga leader Sahibzada Haroon Rashid, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz representative Shahabuddin Khan, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl leader Maulana Abdur Rasheed and ANP figure Gul Afzal Khan were among those who denounced the violence. MNA Mubarakzeb Khan, MPA Anwarzeb Khan and other residents also visited the area to console the bereaved families.
The blast has renewed concerns about civilian safety in Bajaur, where recurring militant violence and targeted attacks have placed persistent pressure on communities and law-enforcement agencies. An attack near a dam and recreational gathering point may also discourage residents from using public spaces, while the death of a schoolteacher adds a significant social cost for the local community.
In a separate incident elsewhere in Salarzai on the same day, a man identified as Aslam Khan was shot dead by unidentified attackers in the Chahargori area. Police indicated that the shooting appeared connected to a personal dispute and was not immediately linked to the dam explosion. Investigators are expected to examine evidence from the blast site, question witnesses and continue area searches as authorities work to determine whether a particular individual was targeted.