BANNU: At least 12 police personnel were martyred on Saturday night after a suicide attack on the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district.
Terrorists rammed a vehicle laden with explosives into the police post. The attack also injured three police personnel.
Police said that following the explosion, terrorists opened heavy gunfire and attacked the post from multiple directions. Multiple blasts were heard in the area, causing fear and panic among local residents.
Sources said that communication with the Fateh Khel police post was lost briefly after the attack.
The powerful blast completely destroyed the post. An armoured vehicle stationed at the post was also destroyed in the attack.
Nearby buildings also suffered severe damage from the blast’s intensity. Following the attack, an emergency was declared in local hospitals.
The Bannu police launched an operation, led by Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan, after the attack, and the area was cordoned off by security forces.
Police tightened security across the city and set up additional checkpoints. Local residents also came out in support of law enforcement personnel.
Rescue 1122 teams are continuing relief operations at the site of the incident, and the death toll from the attack is feared to rise.
Bannu district has been the scene of repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security forces coming under attack amid a broader surge in militant violence.
Violence in Bannu has included attacks on police and jirga members, prompting targeted operations by police and security forces in various localities to disrupt militant networks.
