ISLAMABAD: The suicide bomber, who blew himself up in the capital last month got trained in Afghanistan before conducting the attack, Dawn has learnt.

Sources close to the investigation of the bomb blast in the capital’s sector I-10/4 on Dec 23 said that the bomber received his militancy training in Afghanistan in 2022. After the training, he returned from Afghanistan in late 2022 and stayed in Parachinar in Kurram Agency, they added.

Before reaching the capital on Dec 23, the suicide bomber moved different localities, including Hangu where he stayed with a facilitator who brought him to the capital in the morning at Pirwadhai Bus Terminal, they added.

The facilitator watched the bomber board a taxi and later he left from the spot, the sources said.

The investigation revealed that he was wearing a bag pack, carrying the explosives, the sources said, adding it is yet to be established whether the bag was given to him or whether he travelled with it.

After arriving at the terminal, the suicide bomber spoke with someone (considered another facilitator) on a mobile phone.

The whereabouts of this other person were traced close to the vicinity of the Pirwadhai Bus Terminal and he had been there since the past few days.

The explosive used in the suicide blast was Trinitrotoluene (TNT), weighing 12kgs to 14kgs, the sources said, adding that in the past C4 (Composition 4, including RDX) was used to carry out similar attacks by local militants and terrorists.

The suicide bomber detonated the explosive by removing a pin attached with it, they said, adding that the investigators found the pin at the spot.

The bomber was 22-years-old, a native of Khyber District, they said, adding that he was educated at a seminary.

So far the target of the suicide bomber was yet to be identified, they said.

It may be mentioned here that a police official and taxi driver, hired by the suicide bomber to reach the unknown location were martyred while four policemen were injured in the bomb blast.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2023