At least 19 people were killed today and 57 others wounded when a suicide truck bomber attacked a police station in the Lakki Marwat District in the Khyber Pakhtoonwhah Province (formerly Northwest Frontier Province). The district borders South Waziristan.

The attack killed at least nine police and wounded a large number of others, and also killed at least four schoolchildren who were said to be walking past the station at the time of the attack. Officials said security at the station was much lower than normal because of the flooding crisis.

The attack was the first in the region in months, but a previous attack in early January against a volleyball game killed at least 89 people and wounded large numbers of others.

So far it is unclear which militant faction was responsible for today’s attack, but increasingly a number of attacks have targeted the security forces across Pakistan, and their ability to provide security for themselves, let alone the rest of the nation, remains in serious doubt.

Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz

• No Deal: US Restarted Pakistan Drone Strikes Despite Objections - February 22nd, 2012
• Syrian National Council Demands Foreign Invasion - February 22nd, 2012
• State Dept.: Pakistani Taliban 'Not Welcome' at Truce Talks - February 22nd, 2012
• Israeli FM: Our Decision to Attack Iran None of US, Russia's Business - February 22nd, 2012
• Hunger Strike Ends, but Adnan's Detention Without Charges Doesn't - February 22nd, 2012