Crackdown: Suicide jackets, explosives seized in Bannu

Personnel conducted a pre-dawn raid, but militants had managed to escape before they arrived.

BANNU:

After Saturday’s suicide attack at a check post in North Waziristan, security forces launched a search operation on the outskirts of Bannu city and recovered five suicide jackets along with a heavy cache of explosives and arms.

An official of the security forces on Sunday said their personnel made their way towards suspected militant hideouts in Zarman, Domail, to conduct a pre-dawn raid, but militants had managed to escape before they arrived.

The official explained the operation was launched in response to intelligence information about unidentified militants attempting to target civilians in Bannu. He maintained, however, that any such threat had been averted after authorities had destroyed the hideout and seized arms meant to be used in the attack.

A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle at Esha check post, nearly 12 kilometres east of Miranshah on Saturday. Seventeen soldiers were killed in the attack.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2013.