ISLAMABAD, Nov 28: At least 640 people have been killed and 1,800 injured in 37 suicide bomb attacks in the country during the current year.

According to a report compiled by the Federal Investigation Agency’s Counter-Terrorism Wing and sent to the government, the targets were policemen and other security personnel, public property, mosques and shrines, foreign diplomats, educational institutions, political leaders, government offices and other public targets.

Of the 37 attacks, 25 took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, seven in Punjab, two each in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Balochistan and one in Sindh, official sources said.

Explosives-laden vehicles were used in 10 of the attacks.

Most of the people killed and injured in the suicide bombings were civilians, several political leaders and workers among them.

The report asserted that although the number of suicide bombings, which were rare until a few years ago, had declined, terror groups retained the ability to carry out such strikes against various targets.

Police remained the prime target of terrorists and was attacked at 10 places. At least 87 FC personnel and 81 police personnel were killed and 268 policemen injured.

The year’s first terrorist attack was carried out on police in Tank in January, in which two policemen were killed and 12 others injured. The second attack on police took place in Mansehra in February.

The latest attack on police was carried out on the Salman Shaheed Police Lines in Swabi on Nov 1, killing two policemen and injuring 13 others. The bombers used explosive vests, grenades and semi-automatic machineguns.

Of the 37 suicide bombings, six took place in Lahore, four in Swat, three in Peshawar, two each in Quetta, Bannu, Mardan, Lakki Marwat, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Tank and Azad Kashmir.

Suicide bombers also hit Karachi, Swabi, Nowshera, Karak, Mansehra, Kohat, Hangu and Sargodha.