PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Pakistan Army’s lieutenant colonel and a soldier were martyred in a suicide bombing targeting a security forces convoy during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Bannu district on Saturday, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said.
In a statement, the military’s media wing, ISPR, said the convoy was attacked in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province while troops were conducting an operation against the “Indian proxy Fitna al Khwarij” terrorists, including a suicide bomber.
“Fitna al Khwarij” is a term used by the state for terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group.
Five terrorists were killed during the security forces’ operation, ISPR said.
Suicide bomber intercepted
According to the ISPR, a vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading security group, preventing a major catastrophe in Bannu city.
“A vehicle-borne suicide bomber was intercepted by the leading group, foiling his nefarious design to target innocent civilians/law enforcement personnel,” the statement said.
Security forces then located the terrorists and engaged them in an intense exchange of fire. “Five khwarij were sent to hell by the security forces,” the ISPR added.
However, it said the attackers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into one of the leading security vehicles.
As a result, 43-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz, from Mansehra district, and 28-year-old Sepoy Karamat Shah, from Peshawar, embraced martyrdom.
The ISPR described Lt Col Faraz as a “brave commanding officer” who was leading his troops from the front.
Afghanistan based group claims responsibility
Meanwhile, security sources said responsibility for the attack had been claimed by Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen, a sub-group of Fitna al Khawarij terrorist group.
Security sources said the terrorist group is affiliated with the network led by Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who is based in Afghanistan.
Security sources said the suicide attack was traced to Hafiz Gul Bahadur and his associates, who were operating from Afghan territory.
The same group carried out an attack on Bannu Cantonment on March 4, 2025, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last year, security sources said, adding that the planning for that assault was also done from Afghanistan.
On September 2, 2025, Major Adnan was martyred during an attack by Fitna al Khawarij on the Federal Constabulary in Bannu, according to security sources.
The group has also claimed responsibility for multiple attacks in Mir Ali and in North and South Waziristan, they said.
Security sources added that investigations later established that those attacks were planned and facilitated from Afghanistan.
Use of Afghan soil for terrorism in Pakistan
In its statement, the ISPR reiterated that terrorists were “using Afghan soil” to launch attacks inside Pakistan and accused them of violating the sanctity of the holy month of Ramadan.
The military said the Afghan Taliban authorities had “yet again failed” to prevent terrorists from using Afghan territory for attacks against Pakistan.
“Pakistan will not exercise any restraint and operations would continue against the perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act… irrespective of their location,” the ISPR said.
Security sources further alleged that more than 70 percent of individuals involved in terrorist incidents in Pakistan were either Afghan nationals or linked to networks connected to Afghanistan.
The Afghan Taliban authorities have previously denied allowing Afghan territory to be used against other countries.
Political leadership reacts
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack in separate statements.
“The supreme sacrifice of the martyrs is the nation’s asset,” President Zardari said, according to an official statement. He pledged that operations against Fitna al Khawarij would continue “indiscriminately and with full force”.
Prime Minister Sharif said the attack during Ramadan showed that the militants “had no religion”. He praised security forces for eliminating five attackers and preventing wider destruction.
The prime minister said the counter-terrorism campaign under the vision “Azm-i-Istehkam”, approved by the Federal Apex Committee under the National Action Plan framework, would continue.
Surge in terror attacks
Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the TTP ended a ceasefire agreement with the government in 2022.
Bannu district has witnessed repeated security incidents in recent months, targeting security forces and civilians.
Earlier this week, Pakistan issued a formal diplomatic protest to the Taliban authorities over what it said was the use of Afghan soil in an attack in Bajaur district that killed 11 soldiers.
In late December, Islamabad also lodged a protest following a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged Kabul to act against militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory.
