PESHAWAR: A blast in Peshawar’s Hayatabad area Thursday left two police officials dead while six others were injured.

The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack on the police officers.

“The TSG targeted the vehicle of Deputy Commandant Frontier Reserve Police (FRP), Malik Tariq, in Hayatabad,” the TTP spokesperson, Muhammad Khorasani said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Mian Saeed, while speaking to media persons confirmed that the convoy of Deputy Commandant Frontier Reserve Police (FRP), Malik Tariq, came under a targeted attack in Hayatabad’s Phase 5 area and he had sustained injuries.

Further, the vehicle was badly damaged and two civilians were also injured as a result of the blast.

Bomb Disposal Unit Chief Shafqat Malik confirmed that it was a suicide attack and body parts of the attackers had been found at the scene. He added that the assailant was riding a bike and his target was the deputy commandant. A motorcycle and a bomb was used to conduct the attack, Khorasani confirmed in a statement adding that the ruling Pakistan Muslim Leage-Nawaz leaders would be a special target.

“The TTP has adopted a strategy to launch attacks on the people on the hit-list. We will hit all those who are opposed to the enforcement of Islamic Sharia system,” he concluded.

All the five injured have been shifted to Hayatabad Medical Complex, a Rescue 1122 official confirmed.

Police and security forces arrived at the scene and have cordoned off the area, as investigation commenced.

In a separate incident, a blast was heard in Phase 6 of the same area. No injuries have been reported thus far and rescue teams have arrived at the scene.