Death toll rises to 18 in militant attack on army compound in northwestern Pakistan

The death toll from a militant attack on an army compound in northwestern Pakistan rose to 18 as security forces killed all attackers and ended the operation, officials said on Wednesday.

Militants stormed the Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday evening, detonating two explosives-laden vehicles during Iftar, the meal breaking the Ramadan fast.

“A cowardly terrorist attack was attempted on Bannu Cantonment by Khwarij elements,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release, referring to the militants.

"The assailants sought to breach the cantonment's security; however, their nefarious designs were swiftly and decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of Pakistan's security forces.”

In their desperation, the statement added, the attackers rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into the perimeter wall. “Displaying unwavering courage and professional excellence, our valiant troops engaged the intruders with precision, eliminating all sixteen terrorists, including four suicide bombers,” it added.

The statement said that five Pakistan Army soldiers and 13 civilians were killed during the attack.

The statement, referring to intelligence reports, alleged the physical involvement of Afghan nationals in the attack, saying that “evidence pointing to the face that the attack was orchestrated and directed by militant ring leaders operating from Afghanistan.

“Pakistan expects the Interim Afghan Government to uphold its responsibilities and deny its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan. Pakistan reserves the right to take necessary measures in response to these threats emanating from across the border,” it concluded.

A senior police official, on condition of anonymity, told AFP that the dead included three children and two women.

Security forces launched a counteroffensive, killing all militants in the ensuing firefight and securing the area, officials said. An intelligence official told AFP that 12 militants had attempted to storm the compound after the bombings.

The Jayesh Fursan Muhammad group, linked to the Hafiz Gul Bahadar network, claimed responsibility. The group is believed to receive support from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), though new names are sometimes used to obscure its involvement.

The militant group claimed in a statement that 14 suicide attackers had infiltrated the cantonment.

According to District Headquarters Hospital Bannu, the explosion's impact caused walls and roofs to collapse.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur condemned the attack and directed police to submit a detailed report. He also ordered the district administration to ensure medical care for the wounded.

"Such incidents during the holy month of Ramadan are highly condemnable and deeply tragic," he said.

The attack follows a suicide bombing at an Islamic school in the same province days earlier, which killed six people.

Militant violence has surged in Pakistan since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The Hafiz Gul Bahadar group carried out a similar attack on the same compound last July, killing eight Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers of harboring militants staging cross-border attacks, a claim Kabul denies.

— With input from AFP