Suicide attack targets wedding in Pakistan, kills seven

In Pakistan, a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest among guests at a wedding ceremony in northwest Pakistan on Friday, killing at least seven people and wounding 25 others, police said. The attack took place at the home of Noor Alam Mehsud, a pro-government community leader in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said local police chief Adnan Khan. He said officers transported the dead and injured to a hospital, where some of the wounded were listed in critical condition. Police and rescue teams swiftly cordoned off the site, while hospitals were placed on high alert to ensure uninterrupted treatment of the wounded. Officials said investigations were underway to determine the motives behind the cowardly act of terrorism. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi strongly condemned the blast, terming the incident deeply regrettable.
Last year, Pakistan witnessed more than a 25% surge in overall violence, recording at least 3,187 violence-linked fatalities and 1,981 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and criminals, according to the Centre for Research and Security Studies