BANNU: At least 13 people, including police personnel and civilians, were martyred and six others injured on Saturday when a suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the Fateh Khel police station.
The attack, which occurred on the first anniversary of the 2025 Marka-e-Haq victories, caused the roof of the police station to collapse and inflicted severe damage on several nearby residential houses.
According to initial reports, police personnel intercepted a suspicious vehicle that appeared to be heading toward a densely populated civilian area. Upon being signaled to stop, the attacker triggered the explosives. The resulting blast was heard several kilometers away, spreading panic across the district.
The roof of the Fateh Khel station came down entirely due to the intensity of the blast, a senior police official said. Thirteen individuals have embraced martyrdom, while the injured, including three civilians, have been shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital, where an emergency has been declared.
Security analysts suggest the Khawarij (militants) have shifted their focus to soft targets and civilian-heavy areas in a state of desperation. This shift follows the ongoing success of Operation Ghazab-Lil-Haq, which has significantly squeezed militant operational space.
Sources within the security apparatus alleged that the perpetrators are acting at the behest of foreign handlers, specifically pointing toward Indian involvement aimed at destabilizing the region during national celebrations.
The incident has sparked a wave of resentment among the local population. Hundreds of residents gathered near the site of the blast, chanting slogans against the militants and demanding a decisive, final crackdown by security forces.
We are tired of being the frontline for this cowardice, said a local elder. The forces must take strict action once and for all.
Despite the gravity of the situation and the rising death toll, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister has drawn sharp criticism for his perceived indifference. While the rest of the country marked the defensive victories of May 9 and 10, 2025, the provincial chief remained notably silent, failing to visit the site or issue a condemnation by the time of filing this report.
A search operation was launched in the surrounding areas of Bannu late Saturday night to track down possible facilitators of the attacker.
Read also: Bannu police station attack foiled, two policemen martyred
