Bannu: At least five Pakistani soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel, were killed in a suicide blast in the Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Saturday, officials said.
According to authorities, the attacker rammed an explosives-laden motorcycle into a military vehicle, triggering a powerful explosion. Initial reports indicate that a Pakistani military convoy was the target of the attack.
Pakistani Security sources said the area was cordoned off following the blast and a search operation was launched to secure the vicinity and investigate the incident.
Among those killed was a senior-ranking officer holding the rank of lieutenant colonel, underscoring the severity of the attack.
The explosion caused panic in the area, while rescue teams shifted the injured to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
In a statement issued later, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that a lieutenant colonel and a sepoy were martyred during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Bannu. The military’s media wing stated that on February 21, a security forces convoy was targeted while conducting an operation against militants, including a suicide bomber, and described the attackers as “Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij.” Further details, it said, would be shared after completion of the operation.
