The attack occurred near the town of Mir Ali in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province when the bomber triggered the blast from the back of a motorbike rickshaw, according to a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity. Among the deceased were four police officers, two members of a state paramilitary force, and two civilians.
The condition of three of the injured is critical, and they have been transferred to a local military hospital for treatment, the officer added. A local government official confirmed the casualties.
The assault was claimed by the little-known militant group "Aswad ul-Harb." This incident follows a recent raid by the Pakistani Taliban on another checkpoint near the Afghan border, which resulted in the deaths of 10 police officers.
Since the Afghan Taliban's return to power in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militancy, with officials asserting that hostile groups are using Afghanistan as a refuge. Last year marked the deadliest for suicide attacks in Pakistan since 2014, with 29 incidents resulting in 329 fatalities, according to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies.