Suspected suicide bombing in Pakistan kills at least 21 | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

A vehicle loaded with explosives has rammed into a police facility in northwestern Pakistan and exploded, leaving at least 21 people dead and more than 100 wounded.

Police in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa say the blast occurred near a mosque in the police compound on Friday afternoon.

Local media reported that 15 police officials and six civilians were killed, and 103 people were injured.

An Islamic extremist group operating in the region reportedly claimed responsibility. Police are investigating the incident as a suicide bombing.

Local police and other authorities are carrying out counterterrorism operations in the province, which borders Afghanistan. But there are growing concerns over a further deterioration of security, as an explosion outside a police station killed 16 people last month.