23 new rain deaths in Pak’s Punjab pushes toll to 258
LAHORE, July 24: Pakistan’s Punjab province has seen a significant increase in deaths due to rain-related incidents, raising the nationwide death toll to 258 this monsoon. Since the start of the monsoon on June 25, 143 people have lost their lives and 488 have been injured due to these incidents. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that 158 houses were damaged and 143 deaths have occurred. Floods have also occurred in various parts of the province, forcing evacuations in vulnerable areas. Heavy rains have also triggered flash floods in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, damaging houses and increasing water levels. The fourth spell of monsoon rains is expected to continue until July 25, with rainfall forecast in most districts of Punjab. The PDMA has warned of potential urban flooding and a risk of overflowing rivers and streams across Punjab. (PTI)
Security personnel killed in NW Pakistan
PESHAWAR, July 24: A security personnel was killed while another sustained injury when unidentified assailants opened fire on a Frontier Corps vehicle in northwestern Pakistan on Thursday, local police said. The terrorists ambushed the Frontier Corps (FC) vehicle in Bannu district, bordering North Waziristan, in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The FC vehicle was en route from City Killa to the FC Lines in Daryoba area when it was attacked resulting in the death of one and injury to the other, police said. Security forces and FC units swiftly cordoned off the area and launched a comprehensive search operation to trace the attackers. The injured was shifted to a nearby medical facility while the body of the slain soldier was moved to the hospital for necessary legal procedures. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. (PTI)
Syria explosion kills at least 6, injures many
DAMASCUS, July 24: At least six people were killed and dozens injured in an explosion on Thursday in northern Syria’s Idlib province, officials confirmed. The blast occurred in the town of Maarat Misrin, just north of Idlib city. While the cause remains unconfirmed, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported it happened at an ammunition depot. The Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, stated that six bodies had been recovered and warned the toll could rise as rescue operations continue. Ongoing explosions in the area have hampered response efforts, according to Emergency Minister Raed al-Saleh. Syria’s state-run news agency SANA reported a different toll—four dead and 116 injured—citing health officials. The explosion comes as Syria struggles to recover from a 14-year civil war that left nearly 500,000 dead and displaced over half of the population. Idlib, a former opposition stronghold, remains under rebel control. Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa previously led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the group that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad. (AP)