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https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/...rs-storm-pakistani-military-cantonment-741109
The Bannu military cantonment in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, over 330 km east of Islamabad, came under heavy attack early on Monday (July 15). The attack was reportedly led by several suicide bombers and consequent gunbattle with the security forces.
The militant group Jaish Fursan-e-Muhammad, a faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to reports in the Pakistani state media, the incident began when the assailants attempted to breach the cantonment’s security perimeter with an explosive-laden vehicle.
The attackers, equipped with sophisticated weapons and wearing suicide vests, detonated the vehicle at a checkpoint, causing a massive explosion that facilitated their advance.
Also watch | Pakistan security forces repel terror attack in Bannu cantonment.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple loud explosions followed by intense gunfire. The attackers exploited the ensuing chaos and engaged in a fierce shootout with security forces stationed at the cantonment.
Initial reports indicate that at least 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and several more were injured. The government is yet to release the details of casualties. But a spokesperson for the government hospitals in Bannu, Muhammad Numan, told Dawn publication that eight people were left wounded in the attack.
Approximately eight civilians in the vicinity of the cantonment also lost their lives. The exact number of casualties, however, remains unconfirmed.
The Pakistani Army deployed a gunship aircraft to provide aerial support and engage the attackers from above.
Also read | Afghan Taliban's Pakistani offshoot gets refuge in former Al-Qaeda hideouts: UN report
Following the attack, the military imposed a lockdown in the region, restricting internet and phone services to prevent the attackers from coordinating further actions or escaping. The ongoing operation aims to secure the area and ensure the safety of both military personnel and civilians.
Jaish Fursan-e-Muhammad, affiliated with the TTP’s Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, has a history of militant activity in the region. It has frequently targeted security forces and government installations.
Also watch | Taliban cancels Pakistan delegation's visit to Kandahar.
Pakistan has witnessed a noted increase in terror activities in the past year, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
The Bannu military cantonment in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, over 330 km east of Islamabad, came under heavy attack early on Monday (July 15). The attack was reportedly led by several suicide bombers and consequent gunbattle with the security forces.
The militant group Jaish Fursan-e-Muhammad, a faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to reports in the Pakistani state media, the incident began when the assailants attempted to breach the cantonment’s security perimeter with an explosive-laden vehicle.
The attackers, equipped with sophisticated weapons and wearing suicide vests, detonated the vehicle at a checkpoint, causing a massive explosion that facilitated their advance.
Also watch | Pakistan security forces repel terror attack in Bannu cantonment.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing multiple loud explosions followed by intense gunfire. The attackers exploited the ensuing chaos and engaged in a fierce shootout with security forces stationed at the cantonment.
Initial reports indicate that at least 12 Pakistani soldiers were killed, and several more were injured. The government is yet to release the details of casualties. But a spokesperson for the government hospitals in Bannu, Muhammad Numan, told Dawn publication that eight people were left wounded in the attack.
Approximately eight civilians in the vicinity of the cantonment also lost their lives. The exact number of casualties, however, remains unconfirmed.
The Pakistani Army deployed a gunship aircraft to provide aerial support and engage the attackers from above.
Also read | Afghan Taliban's Pakistani offshoot gets refuge in former Al-Qaeda hideouts: UN report
Following the attack, the military imposed a lockdown in the region, restricting internet and phone services to prevent the attackers from coordinating further actions or escaping. The ongoing operation aims to secure the area and ensure the safety of both military personnel and civilians.
Jaish Fursan-e-Muhammad, affiliated with the TTP’s Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, has a history of militant activity in the region. It has frequently targeted security forces and government installations.
Also watch | Taliban cancels Pakistan delegation's visit to Kandahar.
Pakistan has witnessed a noted increase in terror activities in the past year, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan after the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government in November 2022.
