Bannu Cantonment came under a rocket attack on Friday when a projectile struck an under-construction house in the Defence Colony area, officials and residents said. No casualties were reported.
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The rocket, fired from an unknown direction, created a several-feet-deep crater and caused the ceiling of the property to collapse. Security officials cordoned off the area shortly after the blast, while bomb disposal personnel examined the site.
Friday’s attack marks the second such incident in the cantonment within a fortnight. On December 31, 2025, a similar projectile landed near vacant houses close to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH), damaging property but causing no loss of life.
🛑UPDATE : Rocket attack reported in Bannu Cantt High Court (Peshawar HC Bannu bench), explosion heard,
initial details on casualties and damage awaited
Four missiles fired at Bannu High Court, causing significant damage. https://t.co/hfumC8RNtt pic.twitter.com/DyfhqjezGV
— TRIDENT (@TridentxIN) January 15, 2026
Initial assessments suggest the same type of rocket was used in both attacks, identified as the “Al-Farooq 2,” a model that militants have circulated on social media following the earlier strike. Investigators are analysing fragments to confirm whether the ordnance matches that recovered in December.
Security agencies have launched a comprehensive inquiry to determine the source of the rocket, possible launch coordinates and the motives behind the strike. Forensic teams continued collecting evidence into Friday afternoon, while authorities declined to comment on potential suspects.
In a separate incident on Friday, militants attacked the Fateh Khel police check post in Bannu. According to police spokesman Asif Hassan, an intense exchange of fire lasted for several minutes before officers repulsed the assault, forcing the attackers to retreat into surrounding areas.
Police have initiated a search operation to locate the fleeing assailants. No casualties were reported in that incident either, but authorities said efforts were underway to assess possible links between the two attacks.
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The latest episodes have raised concerns about renewed militant activity in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where law enforcement has faced sporadic ambushes and rocket attacks in recent months.