At least 19 people were killed on Monday after a bomb struck a minibus transport vehicle in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, local media reported on Tuesday.Eighteen people were killed instantly after a Peshawar-bound passenger van on the Hangu-Kohat Road exploded near Jawzara village, about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) from the town of Hangu. One of the 14 injured later died at the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, Geo TV reported.
In addition, another transport vehicle heading to Rawalpindi was damaged by the explosion, causing several passengers to sustain critical injuries.
Shortly after the explosion, local villagers rushed to aid the victims as police and security forces arrived. Four of the injured, who were described to be in a critical condition, were transported the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat and the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.
According to reports, security forces later found six kilograms of explosives inside luggage within the vehicle. Five hand grenades were also discovered and defused at the scene. Local authorities say one of the passengers, Kamil Shah, seemed to be the target of the attack.
Furthermore, the vehicle's driver previously ignored a police checkpoint before the explosive material ignited.
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