At least five people, including women and a child, were martyred and several others injured in a suicide attack targeting the Domel Police Station in Bannu on Friday, Regional Police Officer (RPO) Sajjad Khan said.
According to officials, the victims included members of the same family. “Four members of the same family were killed in the attack, including Naqeebullah, his wife, his son Tufail Subhan, and his daughter Sadaf,” RPO Khan said. The injured were shifted to a nearby hospital, where they are receiving medical treatment.
District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi said the attack on the police station was foiled due to timely security measures and the professional preparedness of the police. Initial reports suggest the suicide bomber intended to target the police station but, after failing to breach it, detonated explosives in a nearby civilian area.
Authorities said effective defensive measures prevented the attacker from breaching the police station. However, the explosion in the nearby civilian area resulted in civilian casualties. Rescue teams, along with local residents, are actively engaged in clearing debris from the affected site and continuing relief operations, they added.
Police said the attack was carried out using an explosives-laden vehicle from the direction of the old tehsil building. Hospital authorities reported that the injured included several women and children, as well as at least one police officer.
Read: SHO among five cops martyred in DI Khan
Following the incident, police, the bomb disposal unit, and other law enforcement agencies cordoned off the area and launched a search operation.
DPO Afridi visited the site and the hospital, directing officials to ensure the best possible medical care for the injured and to conduct a thorough investigation. He said such “cowardly acts of terrorism” would not weaken the resolve of law enforcement agencies or the public.
Security officials have urged citizens to report any suspicious activity to help prevent future attacks. They said the perpetrators aim to destabilize the peaceful environment of Bannu but vowed that such elements would be eliminated.
They further reiterated that operations under the National Action Plan will continue until the complete eradication of all terrorist elements.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the attack, expressing grief over the loss of lives and praying for the speedy recovery of the injured. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism from the country, according to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office.
K-P has been battling terrorism since the US’ ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and personnel.
Last month, at least seven police personnel, including the SHO of Shadi Khel Police Station, were martyred in an explosion near a police mobile in Lakki Marwat.
A week before that, two policemen were killed and 15 people, including five police personnel, were injured in a blast in the Rustam Bazaar area of Wana in Lower South Waziristan.
The province has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, accounting for the highest number of incidents in the country.
Out of a total of 5,397 reported incidents last year, K-P recorded 3,811, followed by Balochistan with 1,557 incidents. Only 29 incidents were reported from the rest of the country. A total of 2,597 terrorists were killed during the year.
