At least four people, including a police official, were injured on Wednesday after terrorists attacked a police station in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district, triggering a heavy exchange of fire with security personnel.
Bannu District Police Officer Captain (retd) Muhammad Furqan Bilal confirmed the incident, while the administration of the local hospital confirmed the casualties.
According to reports, the attackers attempted to ram a vehicle loaded with explosives into Miryan Police Station, triggering a powerful blast.
Police sources said that after the blast, a heavy exchange of fire continued for a considerable time between the terrorists and police personnel, while security was further tightened in the area.
Additional police contingents reached the site, while members of the Police Peace Committee also arrived at the scene, the sources added.
Reports said the sound of the explosion was heard from a considerable distance. The blast also damaged the police station building and nearby residential areas.
Prior to the attack on the police station, terrorists blew up a previously damaged bridge on the route to the station in an attempt to hinder reinforcements and rescue services.
Following the attack, area residents assisted in rescue operations.
Separately, three more terrorists were killed as security forces and law enforcers continue to carry out Operation Shaban in Balochistan jointly, state media reported on Wednesday, citing security sources.
According to state-run Pakistan TV, the latest casualties have taken the total tally of terrorists killed during the operation to 88.
It further reported that 126 terrorists had been killed in Operation Shaban and other intelligence-based operations in the province since July 5.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the security forces after the latest operations and said the ongoing campaign against terrorist elements was progressing successfully, according to state-run APP.
Operation Shaban was launched in retaliation for a deadly attack on a police post at the Mangi Dam pumping station in Ziarat. During that assault, armed attackers kidnapped and killed 27 police officers. Troops from the army, Frontier Corps and police are participating in the joint operation.
Latest updates reported by Pakistan TV said security forces had intensified air and ground operations in the ongoing sweep.
Balochistan has been facing terrorism for a long time, with a monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) stating that after two consecutive months of improvement, Pakistan’s security situation deteriorated sharply in May, driven primarily by escalating terrorist violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.