BANNU: At least 15 police personnel were killed and three others injured after a suicide bombing targeted the Fateh Khel police post in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu on Saturday night, police officials said.

According to Sajjad Khan, the attackers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the police post before launching an armed assault from multiple directions. A total of 18 officers were present at the post at the time of the attack.

Police said the explosion completely destroyed the Fateh Khel police post and also damaged an armoured vehicle stationed at the site. Nearby buildings were affected by the intensity of the blast, while multiple explosions and heavy gunfire caused panic among local residents.

A senior administrative official told AFP that militants used quadcopters and heavy weapons during the assault.

Authorities said communication with the police post was briefly disrupted following the attack. Rescue teams later recovered 15 bodies and three injured personnel from the debris.

Security operation launched after attack

Following the attack, police and security forces launched a search operation in the area under the supervision of RPO Sajjad Khan. Additional checkpoints were established across Bannu, and security was tightened in different parts of the city.

Rescue 1122 confirmed that rescue operations continued until Sunday morning before being concluded.

Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack and paid tribute to the police personnel killed in the assault. In a statement, he said the officers sacrificed their lives while protecting the public and maintaining peace.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condemned the incident during a telephone conversation with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi. The prime minister expressed condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to eliminating terrorism.

Officials said the federal government would continue supporting provincial authorities in counterterrorism efforts.

Bannu district has witnessed repeated militant attacks in recent months targeting police personnel, civilians and local jirga members amid a broader rise in violence in the region.