Bannu Attack: Cop martyred, two militants killed as KP violence escalates

BANNU: A head constable was martyred and three others injured when militants attacked a police vehicle in Bannu on Saturday, triggering a gun battle that left two attackers dead, police said.

The assault took place in the Sheikhan Mama Khel area within the jurisdiction of Haved Police Station, where armed men opened sudden fire on a police party on routine patrol. Head Constable Dilnawaz Khan embraced martyrdom in the attack.

Police retaliated effectively, killing two militants and injuring several others, according to Regional Police Officer Sajjad Khan. The attackers also set the police vehicle ablaze before fleeing the scene.

Authorities recovered two motorcycles used by the militants, while a search operation was launched in the area to track down the remaining assailants. RPO Sajjad Khan later visited the hospital to inquire after the injured personnel.

In a separate incident, police foiled another militant attack in Bannu’s Wazir tehsil. Officers from Ahmadzai Police, on patrol near an under-construction circular road in the Khara Ghora area, came under fire but responded swiftly, forcing the attackers to escape. Local sources said some militants were wounded in the exchange.

The incidents come amid a surge in violence across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), fatalities in the province rose sharply from 1,620 in 2024 to 2,331 in 2025.

Recent attacks in Bannu include a February 21 suicide bombing during an intelligence-based operation that martyred a lieutenant colonel and a sepoy, as well as multiple assaults on police posts and public infrastructure in March.

In response, security forces have intensified counterterrorism operations across the province. Earlier this month, at least 13 militants were killed in five separate operations, including one in Bannu, as part of ongoing efforts to curb militancy.