On Wednesday, schools and shops in Bannu, a city in northwest Pakistan, remained closed as the community prepared to hold funerals for the victims of a double suicide bombing. The previous day’s attack resulted in the deaths of 18 people, including five soldiers. Jaish Al-Fursan, a militant group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, took responsibility for the attack. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif labeled the attackers as “cowardly terrorists who target innocent civilians” and declared that they “deserve no mercy.”

The attack began when militants used vehicles rigged with explosives to breach the wall of a military base in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. A government official stated that attackers initiated a confrontation with the army from two sides, which lasted for several hours until all assailants were neutralized. The army reported that five soldiers lost their lives after engaging in a heroic resistance, and a total of 16 militants, including four suicide bombers, were killed in the operation.

The nearby mosque suffered damage from the blasts, leading to the collapse of its roof during the time when worshippers were gathering to break their fast for Ramadan. At least 13 civilians were killed, including six children, and around 30 people, some critically injured, were treated for their wounds. Rescue teams had to remove rubble to recover the bodies of the worshippers trapped underneath the collapsed roof.

The community, led by local figure Alam Khan, decided to hold joint funeral prayers for the victims at a local sports complex. Bannu has experienced a series of militant attacks in recent months, contributing to a rising tide of violence in the region, which is adjacent to Afghanistan and home to several militant groups.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/pakistan-mourns-civilians-soldiers-killed-in-bannu-attack/a-71831620?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf