15 policemen martyred, three injured in Bannu suicide attack on checkpoint

At least 15 police personnel were martyred and three others injured after terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the Fateh Khel police checkpoint in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district late Saturday night, triggering a massive blast that completely destroyed the post and left several personnel trapped under the debris, a Bannu police spokesperson confirmed on Sunday.

According to Sajjad Khan, Bannu Deputy Inspector General (DIG), "the powerful explosion caused severe destruction at the checkpost, trapping several personnel under the debris".

Rescue teams immediately launched an operation at the site, pulling three police officers alive from the rubble, while search and rescue efforts remained underway at the time of reporting.

Bannu police identified the martyred personnel as Rehmat Ayaz, Sanaullah, Niaz Ali (driver), Habib, Saadullah Jan (driver), Kamran, son of Khan Sikandar, Kamran, Noorullah, Kamran, Abid Jani, Imran, Kaleemullah, Sadiqullah, Munir Alam Khan, Rahatullah Khan and Farooq.

The injured were identified as Mujrim Feroz, Hayatullah and Qadarullah.

DIG Khan visited DHQ Hospital late Saturday to inquire about the condition of the injured personnel and review the medical treatment being provided.

Read: Four policemen martyred in Bannu suicide bombing

Speaking to the media at the hospital, the DIG said the morale of the Bannu Police remained high despite the deadly attack. “Terrorists will never succeed in their nefarious designs,” Sajjad Khan said, adding that the attack would prove to be the terrorists’ “last cowardly act”.

He vowed that Bannu Police would “hunt down the terrorists one by one” and ensure their complete elimination from the area. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

The explosion was so powerful that its sound was heard across distant areas, while the blast also caused extensive damage to nearby civilian homes and structures.

Eyewitnesses said the police checkpoint was completely destroyed in the explosion, with several officers trapped beneath the collapsed structure. Moreover, the roofs of several nearby houses also caved in due to the intensity of the blast.

Authorities said last night that rescue activities were being severely hampered by darkness and the continuing threat of ambush attacks by terrorists targeting incoming police and rescue teams.

Security officials feared terrorists could launch follow-up attacks on responders participating in relief efforts. Soon after the attack, heavy contingents of police and security forces cordoned off the area and launched a clearance operation.

K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi in a statement, strongly condemned the terrorist attack and expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives in the attack and directed authorities to ensure the provision of the best possible medical treatment to the injured.

Read more: Bannu police repel deadly terror attack

“The war against terrorism is not just Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s war, but a war for the entire country,” the chief minister said, adding that decisions made “behind closed doors” and “imposed policies” had pushed the country into a state of insecurity.

He said the K-P government stood with every family affected by terrorism and praised the sacrifices rendered by the province’s police force in the frontline fight against militancy.

“K-P Police have made immense sacrifices in the war against terrorism,” Afridi said.

The chief minister vowed that the sacrifices of the martyrs would not go in vain and pledged to continue efforts until “the menace of terrorism is completely eradicated”.

K-P has been battling terrorism since the United States' ouster from Afghanistan, with terrorists often crossing the border to target police convoys and vehicles, resulting in the deaths of several officials and personnel.

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.