At least 15 police personnel were killed and three others were injured after a suicide attack on the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. The attack was carried out by Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cadres on Saturday night who over-ran the police post as there were only 18 policemen at the post. The police post was totally destroyed in the massive blast that occurred after the TTP men launched their attack on the post by ramming a vehicle laden with explosives.
According to Bannu Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan, a total of 18 police personnel were present at the post at the time of the attack, of whom 15 were killed and the remaining three have sustained serious injuries. TTP has been relentless in carrying out such attacks in the Bannu district, according to a report of Dawn newspaper.
After the explosion, TTP men opened heavy fire and attacked the post from multiple directions. Multiple blasts were heard in the area, causing fear and panic among local residents, the police said.
Use of Drones Increasing
“During the assault, the militants used quadcopters along with heavy weaponry,” a senior administrative official in Bannu said. The use of specialised drones had increased in carrying out these attacks and in 2025, at least 33 cases of drone attacks were recorded.
Sources said that communication with the Fateh Khel police post was lost briefly after the attack. The powerful blast caused by the vehicle carrying explosives completely destroyed the post. An armoured vehicle stationed at the post was also destroyed in the attack.
Nearby buildings also suffered severe damage from the blast’s intensity. Following the attack, an emergency was declared in local hospitals. The Bannu police launched an operation, led by RPO Sajjad, after the attack, and the area was cordoned off by security forces.
Police also tightened security across the city and set up additional checkpoints. Local residents also came out in support of law enforcement personnel. Rescue 1122 teams concluded the rescue operation at the site of the incident on Sunday morning.
“The rescue operation has been completed. In all, 15 bodies and three injured were recovered from the debris,” said a Rescue 1122 official.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said he was “deeply saddened by the tragic incident”.
“These courageous sons of the soil sacrificed their lives while protecting the people of Pakistan and defending peace. Their bravery, commitment and sacrifice will never be forgotten,” he wrote on X.
Naqvi expressed his heartfelt condolences and prayers to the bereaved families, praying for the martyrs’ elevated ranks. “Pakistan stands united against terrorism and such cowardly acts can never weaken our resolve,” Naqvi said.
PM Shehbaz Sharif condemns attack
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday telephoned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and strongly condemned the attack. He expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of precious lives in the attack and prayed for the elevation of ranks of the police personnel martyred. He also extended heartfelt condolences to their bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured in the attack.
Reaffirming the Federal government’s commitment to prevent such incidents, Sharif said his government will continue working closely with provincial governments. “We will provide every possible assistance to the provincial government in this fight,” the PM said.
Both leaders paid tribute to the armed forces, security forces, and police personnel for their sacrifices. The PM reiterated that the government remained fully determined to eliminate all forms of terrorism from the country.
The provincial government in KP is run by Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf (PTI) party of jailed leader Imran Khan. In the past, the provincial government of KP has had serious differences with the Federal government over the manner in which to handle rebel groups.
Besides, the provincial government of KP has accused the Federal government of starving it of funds, deliberately not paying its due share of revenue. According to the KP government, the Federal government owes it billions of rupees as arrears on account of back payments, royalty and emergency funds.
Several Attacks in Bannu on Forces
Bannu district has been the scene of repeated security incidents in recent months, with both civilians and local security forces coming under attack amid a broader surge in violence. Violence in Bannu has included attacks on police and jirga members, leading to targeted operations by the police and security forces in various localities to disrupt militant networks.
Despite claims to the contrary, the Pakistan Army has failed to take on the TTP men who are much better trained than the police. The Federal government has avoided committing resources in terms of more Army units being mobilised to take on the TTP cadres.
Rising Fatalities In TTP Attacks
In the year 2025, at least 664 security personnel and 580 civilians were slain, according to a Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) report. According to this report, combat-related deaths in 2025 rose by 73 per cent to 3,387, compared to 1,950 in 2024.
Fatalities included 2,115 terrorists, 664 security forces personnel, 580 civilians and 28 members of pro-government peace committees (combatants). The irony of the us of word “peace committees’’ is hits home hard when the government describes them as armed men fighting for it.
It further reported that the suicide attacks increased by 53 per cent, with 26 such incidents reported in 2025 compared with 17 in 2024. PICSS noted an expanding trend in the use of small drones, with 33 such incidents recorded during 2025, alongside increased use of unmanned aerial vehicles by security forces.
The report stated that the most violence remained concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the tribal districts, and Balochistan. Bannu Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Sajjad Khan has said that 27 policemen were killed in 134 terrorist attacks targeting personnel in the district in 2025.
