The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Wednesday that all 16 terrorists were eliminated while five soldiers were martyred in the terrorist attack on the Bannu Cantonment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“On 4 March 2025, a cowardly terrorist attack was attempted on Bannu Cantonment by Khawarij elements,” the ISPR said in a statement today.
The assailants sought to breach the cantonment’s security, the ISPR said, adding that “their nefarious designs were swiftly and decisively foiled by the vigilant and resolute response of Pakistan’s security forces”.
In their desperation, the attackers rammed two explosive-laden vehicles into the perimeter wall, the military’s media affairs wing said.
The ISPR said that all 16 terrorists were eliminated including four suicide bombers.
It said that in the intense exchange of fire, five brave soldiers, “after putting up a heroic resistance, embraced martyrdom in the line of duty”.
It added that the suicide blast led to collapse of portion of the wall and damaged the adjoining infrastructure, including a mosque and a civilian residential building resulting in death of 13 innocent civilians and injuries to 32 others.
The ISPR stated that “intelligence reports unequivocally confirmed the physical involvement of Afghan nationals in this heinous act, with evidence also pointing to the fact that the attack was orchestrated and directed by Khwarij ring leaders operating from Afghanistan”.
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“Pakistan expects the Interim Afghan Government to uphold its responsibilities and deny its soil for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
“Pakistan reserves the right to take necessary measures in response to these threats emanating from across the border.”
Meanwhile, AFP reported that the attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur armed group, which actively supported the Afghan Taliban in its war against the US-led NATO coalition since 2001.
“Our fighters got access to an important target and took control,” the group said in a statement, without providing further details.
Last year, a similar attack killed at least eight Pakistan Army soldiers after an attempt by terrorists to infiltrate the cantonment area in Bannu was foiled by security forces.
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