The death toll from a suicide attack on a security post in northwest Pakistan has risen to 14 police officers, authorities confirmed early Sunday. A self-proclaimed splinter group of the Pakistan Taliban has claimed responsibility for the assault.
Attack Details
A suicide bomber, accompanied by several gunmen, detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the security post in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, late Saturday, according to senior police official Sajjad Khan. The explosion triggered a prolonged and intense firefight. Some officers were killed during the exchange of gunfire, while others died later when the building collapsed under the force of the blast.
Rescue and Investigation
Rescuers conducted an extensive search operation lasting several hours, employing heavy machinery to retrieve bodies from beneath the rubble, Khan reported. Three police officers were also wounded in the attack. Security forces have launched a comprehensive operation to track down the perpetrators and prevent further incidents.
Claim of Responsibility
A newly formed militant group, Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to reporters. While the group asserts it was formed by splinter factions of the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), authorities have dismissed this, accusing it of being a front for the TTP.
Broader Context
Pakistan has experienced a surge in militant violence in recent years, much of it attributed to the TTP, a separate group but an ally of the Afghan Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Islamabad frequently accuses Afghanistan's Taliban government of providing sanctuary to the TTP, a claim that Kabul denies. Tensions between the two neighbors have persisted, with both sides engaging in clashes that have killed hundreds since late February.
In early April, Afghan and Pakistani officials held peace talks mediated by China. However, despite these negotiations, sporadic cross-border clashes have continued, albeit at a lower intensity than before.
