One killed in Bannu quadcopter attack

DERA ISMAIL KHAN:

One person was killed, and four others were injured in a quadcopter attack in the Bakakhel Customs area of Bannu, police said on Tuesday.

According to Bannu Regional Police Officer Rab Nawaz Khan, terrorists belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij carried out the attack by dropping an explosive device within the jurisdiction of Baka Khel police station.

Fitna-al Khawarij is a term the state uses for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

He said that preliminary information indicated that an explosive shell dropped from the quadcopter detonated, killing Khatirullah, son of Gul Bahadur. Four others were injured: Saifullah, son of Khatirullah, aged around 14 to 15, Asal Jan, son of Gul Marjan, Ameerullah, son of Mir Aslam, and Shakir.

All four injured were shifted to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Bannu, where they were receiving treatment.

Khan said police had successfully thwarted several quadcopter attacks targeting police and security forces through the deployment of anti-drone guns and other security measures at police stations, checkpoints, and other sensitive locations.

"Following these failures, the terrorists have turned their cowardly actions towards unarmed and innocent civilians in an attempt to spread fear and panic in the area," he said.

A heavy police contingent reached the scene soon after the attack, cordoned off the area, and launched a search operation. Efforts are underway to arrest those responsible, Khan said.

Condemning the attack, Khan said those targeting unarmed civilians were "enemies of humanity" and would be brought to justice. He added that Bannu police would continue operations to protect lives and property, maintain law and order, and eliminate terrorist elements.

The attack came days after two separate terrorist incidents in Bannu on July 1. In one, unidentified assailants detonated explosives inside the Government Girls Middle School in Mama Khel, Hassan Khel tehsil, causing partial damage to the building, including cracks in classroom walls and damage to windows and doors.

In a separate incident the same day, suspected militants planted an explosive device beneath a key link bridge in the Bachki area of Jani Khel. Security forces and the Bomb Disposal Unit defused the device before it exploded, preventing what officials described as a major tragedy.