Suicide Bombing Kills 15 Police in Pakistan's Bannu

A suicide bombing at a police post in Bannu, Pakistan, followed by an ambush on responding officers, killed 15 police personnel and injured three others. The militant alliance known as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack.

The initial explosion was caused by a suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden vehicle into the security post, which subsequently collapsed from the impact of the blast. Following the bombing, militants ambushed additional law enforcement personnel sent to assist, causing further casualties. The attack also resulted in severe damage to nearby civilian areas and injured two civilians.

According to Al Jazeera, an armed group rammed a vehicle filled with explosives into the Bajaur district camp’s gate on Thursday and then launched a gun battle. Reports say that eight or nine Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attack. At least 10 of the attackers were killed, while about 35 security personnel were wounded.

The death toll varied across reports, with Al Jazeera initially reporting at least 21 officers killed, while other sources later confirmed the number of fatalities as 15. Images from the scene showed extensive destruction, including rubble, charred wreckage, and mangled vehicles scattered around the area.

A state of emergency was declared in government hospitals in Bannu to handle the influx of casualties. The attack has raised concerns about a potential resurgence of militant activities along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, where tensions have been high following Pakistani airstrikes targeting alleged militant strongholds earlier this year.