BANNU: The death toll from Saturday night’s suicide car bombing at the Fateh Khel police checkpoint in Bannu district has risen to 15, with several others injured, local sources confirmed on Sunday as rescue teams continued to pull survivors from the rubble.
According to sources, 21 personnel were present at the post when a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the checkpoint late Saturday night, May 9. The massive blast was followed by heavy gunfire from militants who opened fire from multiple directions.
Some of the policemen were killed in the initial blast and subsequent shooting, while others died when the structure collapsed, local officials said. Multiple explosions were heard in the area, causing panic among residents.
Reports gathered by MM News from multiple sources revealed that the scene at Fateh Khel was one of devastation. The checkpoint was reduced to rubble, with charred wreckage, bricks, and damaged vehicles visible across the site. Nearby civilian homes were also affected by the blast.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track the attackers. Rescue operations continued through Sunday, with teams working to retrieve bodies and locate survivors trapped under debris.
Latest reports suggest a breakaway faction linked to the Pakistan Taliban, reportedly identifying itself as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The assault underscores a pattern of rising militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border. It comes a day after a similar vehicle-borne suicide attack was reported at a police post in Bajaur, where three police officers were killed.
It is pertinent to mention here that diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain frozen, with border crossings closed since October last year and visa issuance to Afghan nationals suspended. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul-based militants of using Afghan soil to plan attacks — an allegation the Taliban administration denies.
