Peshawar city in Pakistan has been placed on high alert following a devastating explosion that has left two children in critical condition and three others injured.
The internet is buzzing with viral CCTV footage capturing the moment when two men, engrossed in conversation, are suddenly engulfed in a cloud of smoke and dust caused by a deafening blast.
Bilal Ahmad Faizi, the spokesperson for emergency rescue services, said an improvised explosive device (IED) went off on a busy road in Peshawar at 9:10 a.m. (0410 GMT).
Peshawar's police chief told media that there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.
There was no evidence suggesting that the attack specifically targeted school children.
Peshawar, situated on the border of Pakistan's tribal districts neighboring Taliban*-ruled Afghanistan, is a constant target for various Islamist extremist organizations.
In the year 2014, a horrifying incident occurred when a group of six Taliban militants launched a brutal assault on an academy controlled by the military, taking the lives of 153 individuals, the majority of whom were innocent students.
*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for extremism.
*The Taliban is under UN sanctions for extremism.