Islamabad: A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday evening when at least 11 individuals, including five women and four children, lost their lives, and 22 others sustained injuries after terrorists targeted the Bannu Cantonment by ramming two explosive-laden vehicles into its perimeter, as reported by Dawn.
During the ensuing shootout, six attackers were neutralized within the jurisdiction of the Bannu Cantonment police station, according to sources cited by Dawn. The assailants detonated the vehicles at the entrance after being intercepted by security personnel stationed in the area.
Following the explosion, the terrorists attempted to breach the camp, resulting in a fierce gun battle, as detailed by official sources. The attack commenced at 6:30 PM, shortly after Iftar, with militants employing RPGs and grenades. Additional troops and SSG commandos were swiftly deployed to the scene.
Among the deceased and injured were 10 security personnel, as reported by Dawn. The injured were transported to the District Headquarter Hospital and Khaleefa Gul Nawaz Hospital (KGN) in Bannu, while the wounded troops were taken to the Combined Military Hospitals (CMH) for medical care.
Sources indicated that security forces successfully eliminated six terrorists at various entry points of the cantonment and had encircled the remaining attackers. The Jaish-i-Fursan Muhammad, a faction of the banned Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, claimed responsibility for the assault via social media, according to reports.
The explosions' severity led to the collapse of roofs and walls in multiple homes within the vicinity, leaving more than a dozen individuals trapped beneath the debris. Additionally, a mosque near the entrance of the cantonment also fell, with several worshippers reportedly caught under the wreckage. Efforts to rescue those trapped were underway.
A rescue official indicated that medical teams and ambulances were dispatched to the scene to initiate the rescue operation. He stated, "Individuals are trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed houses and mosque, and rescuers are working diligently to extract them."
A representative from the district administration noted that the total number of casualties had yet to be confirmed; however, hospitals had reported nine fatalities and 22 injuries thus far. An emergency was declared across all hospitals, with doctors and paramedics summoned to duty.
As of the time of this report, the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan Army, had not released an official statement. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his condolences for the loss of innocent lives and paid tribute to the soldiers, as reported by Dawn.
He offered prayers for the swift recovery of the injured and remarked, "Cowardly terrorists who target innocent civilians during the holy month of Ramzan deserve no leniency." He labeled Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as an adversary of Pakistan and pledged to thwart their malicious intentions.
Numerous terrorist incidents have occurred in Bannu in recent months. On February 8, two police officers from Pakistan lost their lives when militants targeted a police station in the Fatehkhel region of the Bannu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Previously, in November, a suicide bombing at a security checkpoint in the Mali Khel area resulted in the deaths of 12 soldiers. In October of the previous year, five terrorists disguised in burqas and equipped with suicide vests were killed, while four police officers were also killed during an attempt to thwart a gun and bomb assault on the Iqbal Shaheed Police Lines.
