Pakistan’s military suffered a heavy blow in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa when a suicide bomber struck a security convoy in Bannu, killing a senior officer and a soldier. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released details, blaming Fitna al-Khawarij, militants tied to the proscribed TTP.
The attack unfolded during a targeted intelligence raid on Saturday. Forces had credible inputs on militants, including a suicide bomber. As they moved in, the bomber drove an explosive-rigged vehicle into their convoy, resulting in the deaths of 43-year-old Lt Col Shahzada Gul Faraz and 28-year-old Sepoy Karamat Shah from Peshawar.
In the fierce gunbattle that ensued, five terrorists were eliminated by the security team. ISPR condemned the group’s exploitation of Afghan bases to perpetrate violence inside Pakistan, especially during the sacred month of Ramadan.
Contextualizing the event within the ‘Azm-e-Istehkam’ vision – greenlit by the Federal Apex Committee for the National Action Plan – ISPR affirmed the commitment to eradicate such threats.
From the President’s office, Asif Ali Zardari voiced unequivocal condemnation of the ‘cowardly terrorist act,’ mourning the losses and assuring families of support. ‘We will press on with unyielding operations against Fitna al-Khawarij,’ he stated, disassociating the militants from Islamic principles.
Such incidents reveal the enduring menace of terrorism in Pakistan’s border areas, testing the resolve of its armed forces amid heightened vigilance.