At least nine people, including five children, were killed, and more than 25 others were injured after two suicide bombings struck Pakistan’s Bannu Cantonment on Tuesday night, according to local officials. The attack, which occurred during iftar, the evening meal to break the fast in the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, was followed by intense gunfire between security forces and the assailants.
Bannu, a key city near the Afghan border, serves as a strategic hub for Pakistan’s military operations in the Waziristan region. The blasts caused significant destruction, with roofs and walls of nearby houses collapsing due to the force of the explosions. A mosque within the cantonment also suffered damage, trapping worshippers under the debris.
Bannu police official Noor Marwat described the sequence of events to The Media Line: “The first attack involved a bomber ramming an explosives-laden vehicle into the cantonment gate, while a second vehicle was detonated near the perimeter wall.” He added, “The blasts were followed by an attempted takeover of the compound by several armed militants.”
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A spokesperson from Bannu Central Government Hospital, Noman Khattab, confirmed that victims were brought in with injuries caused by collapsing structures. Meanwhile, reports indicate that the armed group Jaish-e-Forasan Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is linked to the banned Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction, known for its previous attacks on security installations.
Bannu has experienced several high-profile terrorist incidents in recent years. In July 2024, a similar attack killed eight military personnel and ten attackers. In 2022, fighters overpowered security personnel inside the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) compound, seizing weapons and taking hostages before being neutralized by security forces.
Pakistani authorities maintain that these groups operate from safe havens in Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to curb cross-border attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where guerrilla and terrorist attacks have surged since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. The Afghan government has denied these claims, insisting that no armed group is allowed to use its territory to target another country.
The latest attack is expected to escalate tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as Islamabad continues to push for stronger counterterrorism measures from Kabul. Despite diplomatic efforts, security officials warn that cross-border threats remain a growing concern for Pakistan.