2 civilians martyred, three soldiers injured in Bannu convoy attack

PESHAWAR: Two innocent civilians have embraced martyrdom while three soldiers of Pakistan Army along with seven civilians were injured after a motorbike-borne suicide bomber hit a security forces convoy in Bakka Khel area of Bannu District.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) news release, a motorcycle borne suicide bomber, affiliated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group and later identified as an Afghan national, exploded himself on a security forces’ convoy in general area of Bakka Khel.

The military’s press wing added that sanitization operation was being carried out to eliminate any other terrorists found in the area.

The ISPR said that security forces of Pakistan are determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism and such sacrifices of brave civilians and soldiers further strength our resolve.

Pakistan has faced a surge in terrorism in recent months, with the TTP and other militant outfits intensifying their actions against security forces. In response, the state has also launched operations to curb terrorism.

Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), in a report released in October, noted that the security forces lost at least 386 personnel in the first nine months of 2023, marking an eight-year high.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for nearly 94% of all fatalities and 89% of attacks including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations recorded during this period.