Pakistan’s twin terror attacks leave 15 dead.
Pakistan was hit by two separate terrorist attacks that resulted in the deaths of fifteen people, including ten military personnel and five civilians, among them two women. During these violent encounters, security forces responded by killing thirteen terrorists.
According to the Armed Forces Media Wing‘s press release, “In the first attack, a group of 10 militants attempted to infiltrate a cantonment in Bannu in the early hours of Monday, July 15.” Armed Forces media wing attributed one of the assaults to insurgents based in Afghanistan.
“The attempt to enter the cantonment was effectively thwarted by the security forces personnel, which forced the terrorists to ram an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the cantonment. Eight soldiers lost their lives in the resulting blast, which also caused a section of the outer wall to collapse and damaged nearby infrastructure,” the statement continued.
“In the subsequent operation, troops effectively engaged the terrorists, resulting in the elimination of all ten terrorists. This timely and effective response by the security forces prevented a major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives.”
The Pakistan military stated, “The attack was conducted by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, a faction of the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alleging that it operates from Afghanistan and has previously used Afghan territory to plan attacks inside Pakistan.”
Bannu Cantonment is a sensitive area where military offices and police lines are located.
Pakistan Army’s Special Commandos were deployed from Kohat for the clearance operation.
Earlier, in December 2022, gunmen attacked the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) compound here. Following a prolonged operation lasting nearly three days, the extremists were eventually eliminated inside the compound.
Zia Ud Din, the district police officer Bannu, told The Media Line, “After completing the operation, the area has been cleared.”
In a second terror incident early on Tuesday morning, gunmen opened fire at staff in a Rural Health Center located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan District, resulting in the deaths of two women health workers, two children, and a guard.
The army swiftly mobilized nearby security forces for a clearance operation at the Rural Health Center, and three terrorists were eliminated during the exchange of fire,” the army reported.
However, during intense gunfire, a junior commissioned officer and soldier lost their lives in the line of duty.
“Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Interim Afghan Government to prevent terrorists from using Afghan soil and to take decisive action against such elements,” the statement asserted. “Pakistan’s Armed Forces remain committed to defending the nation and its people from terrorism and will take necessary measures against threats originating from Afghanistan.”
