BANNU/PESHAWAR: Security forces foiled terrorists’ attempt to enter Bannu Cantonment in the wee hours of Monday.
The attack took place in Bannu city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. The province has witnessed a surge in militant attacks in recent years.
“Terrorists mounted the attack on the Cantt at around 4:40 am, which was repulsed by the security forces,” Ziauddin Ahmed, the district police officer (DPO) for southern Bannu district, said. “As per initial information, seven civilians were wounded in the attack.”
According to details, gunship helicopters were called into action after a daring attack by terrorists to target Bannu Cantonment by bulldozing its wall with a car-bomb was thwarted by security forces personnel early Monday morning.
Terrorists riding an explosive-laden vehicle attempted to enter the Cantonment area at 4:40am. The timely retaliation by the alert security forces responded timely and forced terrorists to restrict to a corner.
The terrorists tried to use an explosives-laden car to demolish a wall to enter the Bannu Cantt but were miserably failed to carry out their design.
According to sources, the security forces personnel succeeded in cornering the terrorists and launched a clearance operation in the area.
Eight people were injured in the blast which was carried out on Kohati Road in Bannu between the Supply Depot and Security Tower as a diversion. The security forces personnel quickly cordoned off the surrounding area of the Cantonment.
Sources said the blast was so intense that it shattered the windowpanes of nearby houses and cracked shutters of many shops. The authorities immediately called gunship helicopters who were patrolling the area.
The sources indicated that there feared multiple casualties and injuries in the tragedy. However, preliminary reports confirmed that only eight people were injured in the bomb explosion.
An operation is going on to get the area cleared of terrorists.
It is worthy to mention that the operations of the security forces against the terrorists active in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were on going and many terrorists have already been neutralized in operations near the Afghan border areas.
Reportedly, the Jaish-e-Fursan (Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group), a Pakistani Taliban or TTP faction, claimed responsibility for the attack.