In a devastating attack, suicide bombers drove two explosive-laden cars into a military compound in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday evening, triggering massive explosions that killed nine civilians, including three children and two women, according to police sources.
At least 20 others sustained injuries in the blasts, which occurred in Bannu, a district in Pakistan’s volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The province, bordering the country’s former tribal areas, has been a frequent target of militant attacks.
“The blasts created two four-foot craters, and due to their intensity, at least eight houses in the locality have been damaged,” a senior police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP.
Following the explosions, a firefight ensued between security forces and militants. “Apart from the two suicide bombers, six militants were shot dead in an exchange of fire,” the official added. An intelligence source revealed that 12 militants had attempted to storm the compound after the initial attack.
Militant Group Claims Responsibility
The attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, which has a long history of supporting the Afghan Taliban. The group released a statement saying, “Our fighters got access to an important target and took control,” without providing further details.
The assault comes just days after a suicide bomber killed six people at an Islamic religious school in the same province, where key Taliban leaders are known to be present. Similar attacks have surged in Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
Escalating Violence in Pakistan
Tuesday’s attack marks a continuation of violence in the region. Hafiz Gul Bahadur carried out a similar attack on the same compound in July last year, using an explosive-laden vehicle to breach the boundary wall, which resulted in the deaths of eight Pakistani soldiers.
Pakistan has witnessed a significant rise in militant attacks over the past year. The Center for Research and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based analysis group, reported that 2023 was the deadliest year in a decade, with more than 1,600 people killed in terror-related incidents.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan of providing shelter to militant groups that plan and execute attacks on Pakistani soil. However, Kabul has denied these allegations, insisting it does not harbor anti-Pakistan militants.
As Pakistan grapples with escalating security threats, authorities have vowed to intensify counter-terrorism operations to curb the resurgence of militant groups operating in the region.
Sources By Agencies
