A suicide bomber blew himself up at a police station in Pakistan's troubled Swat valley on Sunday, killing 16 policemen and injuring over 25 others in one of the worst attacks since the army wrested control of the area from the Taliban.
The bomber entered the police station in Mingora, the main city of Swat district, by climbing over a wall. He detonated his explosives at a ground where 70 personnel from a community police force were being trained.
Swat district police chief Qazi Ghulam Farooq said 12 policemen were killed instantly while four died in hospital. Other officials said more than 25 personnel were injured.
North West Frontier Province police chief Malik Naveed Khan said the attack occurred due to negligence and lack of security arrangements.
Personnel of the community police force, comprising local residents and retired army personnel, were being trained at a facility near the police station in Nishat Chowk, a busy square where a large number of people were present.
Policemen deployed at check posts near the police station opened fire after the blast, causing shops in nearby markets to shut down. The firing continued for some time. Authorities imposed curfew in Mingora soon after the attack.
