Bannu attack orchestrated from Afghan soil: intel reports

RAWALPINDI:

All the 16 terrorists who carried out Tuesday's massive gun and suicide attack on Bannu cantonment have been neutralised as intelligence reports confirmed that the brazen assault was orchestrated by terrorists operating from their sanctuaries in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Five servicemen and 13 civilians were also martyred in the mass-causality attack staged by multiple suicide bombers allegedly belonging to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, an outlawed terrorist organisation based across the border. The group carried out a similar deadly attack on the same garrison last July, detonating an explosive-laden vehicle against the boundary wall.

The military's media wing shared details of the attack following the completion of the sanitisation operation in the compound on Wednesday. "On 4 March 2025, a cowardly terrorist attack was attempted on Bannu Cantonment by khwarij elements," the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.

"The assailants sought to breach the cantonment's security; however, their nefarious designs were swiftly and decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of Pakistan's security forces," it added. "In their desperation, the attackers rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into the perimeter wall."

"Displaying unwavering courage and professional excellence, our valiant troops engaged the intruders with precision, eliminating all 16 terrorists, including four suicide bombers. In this intense exchange of fire, five brave soldiers, after putting up a heroic resistance, embraced martyrdom in the line of duty."

The suicide blasts resulted in the partial collapse of the perimeter wall, causing damage to the adjacent infrastructure. Tragically, a mosque and a civilian residential building in close proximity also suffered severe destruction, leading to the martyrdom of 13 civilians and injuries to 32 others, it said.

The military's media wing said that intelligence reports unequivocally confirmed the physical involvement of Afghan nationals, with evidence also "pointing to the fact that the attack was orchestrated and directed by khwarij ring leaders" operating from Afghan soil.

"Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to uphold its responsibilities and deny its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan," the ISPR said, warning that Pakistan reserves the right to take necessary measures in response to these threats emanating from across the border.

"The security forces of Pakistan remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate terrorism in all its forms. The sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent civilians further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs," it added.

Islamabad has repeatedly exhorted Kabul's Taliban rulers to root out the TTP and its affiliates who are sheltering on Afghan soil, but the Taliban remain reluctant, lending credence to reports that they are hand in glove with the terrorist group.

This was endorsed by a United Nations report which revealed last month that the Afghan Taliban's continued support for the TTP was fuelling the group's escalating attacks in Pakistan. The revelation was made in the 35th report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team submitted to the UN Security Council, which covers the period from July 1 to Dec 13, 2024.

"The status and strength of TTP in Afghanistan had not changed," while the group intensified its assaults on Pakistan, conducting over 600 attacks during the reporting period, many launched from Afghan territory, the report states.

It underscored that the Taliban continued to provide the TTP with logistical and operational space and financial support, bolstering the group's capacity to sustain its activities. The report revealed that the family of TTP chief receives around $43,000 per month from the Afghan Taliban.

Terrorist attacks have spiked in Pakistan since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. Last year was the deadliest in a decade, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to Islamabad-based analysis group the Centre for Research and Security Studies.

Meanwhile, thousands of people poured on to the streets of Bannu for the funerals of 18 people, including six children, killed in the attack. Abdullah Khan, a 46-year-old resident of Bannu who runs a livestock business, said it was the largest funeral ever seen in the town.

Muhammad Nauman, a spokesperson for the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Bannu, said six children were among those killed and 36 others were wounded. Six of the martyred civilians belonged to the same family.

Riaz Wazir, a 46-year-old shopkeeper, who also attended the funeral, said that, in addition to the loss of life, the blasts had caused substantial damage and financial loss. "Buildings that have fallen are destroyed. Those that have not fallen are dangerous because of explosions, any accident can happen," he said.

Video images from the scene showed people sifting through piles of bricks and clearing metal scaffolding. The MTI spokesperson added that a number of the civilian casualties were trapped under collapsed buildings and walls. Rescue services were searching for more casualties under the debris.

(WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM NEWS DESK AND REUTERS)