A key bridge over the Kurram River in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was blown up with explosives by unidentified attackers on Wednesday, local media reported.
The incident occurred in Shewa tehsil of North Waziristan district of the province, sparking renewed concerns over the law and order situation in the troubled district.
The bridge was destroyed, cutting off land routes between the area and several adjoining regions across the province, including Miranshah and Bannu.
Citing local sources, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported that unknown assailants planted a large amount of explosives beneath the bridge early in the morning.
The powerful blast was reportedly heard from many miles away, triggering fear and panic among the locals.
Pakistani police and security forces reached the spot and cordoned off the area following the attack, while an investigation was initiated.
Reports suggest that the damaged bridge, which serves as a critical communication link in the region, is expected to create major difficulties for the people, as it was a key route for the daily movement of civilians, patients, students, traders and government employees.
Its destruction has also hindered access to healthcare facilities, delivery of essential goods and everyday commercial activities, forcing people to rely on lengthy and challenging alternative routes.
While Balochistan province has long witnessed frequent attacks on infrastructure, similar incidents have been reportedly increasing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months.
On December 7, last year, unidentified attackers used explosives to blow up a link bridge in the Mamandkhel area of the Bannu district, disrupting public movement.
Also, last month, within a week, in two such incidents, attackers blew up two government schools in North Waziristan’s Mir Ali tehsil at night.
Recently, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed its deep concerns over the security and law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa throughout 2025.
Citing Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, the HRCP in its latest report titled ‘Caught in the Crossfire: Civilians, Security and the Crisis of Justice in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Merged Districts’ stated that at least 82 militant attacks had occurred nationwide in July 2025 alone, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including its former tribal districts, accounting for nearly two thirds of this number.
Additionally, 45 militant attacks were recorded in the province in September 2025, killing 54 people and injuring 49.
