At least 11 people were injured as multiple suicide blasts and firing took place outside a sessions court in Tangi, Charsadda on Tuesday, a police official said.

According to police reports, firing continued till the filing of this report.

“The explosions took place at the entrance of the sessions court,” DPO Charsadda Sohail Khalid said.

Initial reports revealed that there were two judges present in the premises, and proceedings continued as per routine when firing broke out. While the number of attackers is yet to be ascertained, eyewitnesses said one blast took place at the entrance of the court, and one near the bar room. “One of the suicide bombers tried to enter the court, however, was shot dead by security officials,”an eyewitness said.

“One of the attackers lobbed a hand grenade at the gate of the court and then opened firing,” Naeem Iqbal, an eyewitness said.

According to another eyewitness, at least five people were critically injured when the initial blast took place.

Pakistan has been battling insurgency since shortly after it decided to ally with the US following its invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. Violence has declined in recent years following a series of military offensives in the northwest border areas as well as concerted efforts to block the militants’ sources of funding. But the remnants of militant groups are still able to carry out periodic bloody attacks, particularly in the northwest.

Pakistan’s battle against the Taliban insurgency began in 2004 after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan forced militants to flee across the border. Pakistan Army launched an operation in June 2014 to wipe out militant bases in the tribal regions and bring an end to a bloody insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004.

It has conducted a series of military offensives as well as concerted efforts to block militants’ sources of funding. Last year the country recorded its lowest number of killings since 2007 when the TTP was formed. But the remnants of militant groups are still able to carry out periodic bloody attacks.

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