Two suicide bombings at a military base in Pakistan kill at least 9 people and injure 25
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
We need your support!
Local journalism needs your support!
As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed.
Now, more than ever, we need your support.
Starting at $15.99 plus taxes every four weeks you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website.
Subscribe Nowor call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527.
Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community!
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Brandon Sun access to your Winnipeg Free Press subscription for only
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*$1 will be added to your next bill. After your 4 weeks access is complete your rate will increase by $4.99 a X percent off the regular rate.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/03/2025 (198 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Attackers launched two suicide bombings to breach a wall at a military base in northwestern Pakistan while others stormed the compound and were repelled in violence that killed at least nine people and injured 25, officials and a local hospital said.
A group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in Bannu, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and said dozens of Pakistani security forces were killed. The military did not immediately confirm any casualties, but Bannu District Hospital said at least nine people were dead.
Plumes of gray smoke rose into the air and gunshots continued after the two explosions, police officer Zahid Khan said. Four of those killed were children, hospital officials said. The victims lived close to the scene of the blasts.
The attacks happened after sunset, when people would have been breaking their fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
A spokesman for Bannu District Hospital, Muhammad Noman, said the evening blasts badly damaged homes and other buildings. “The roofs and walls collapsed and that’s why we are receiving casualties,” he said.
The death toll could rise. The blasts caused the roof of a nearby mosque to collapse while a number of worshippers were inside, rescue workers and provincial government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif said.
Rescue workers trying to free people from underneath the rubble said they had retrieved the body of the mosque’s imam.
The two suicide bombers blew themselves up near the wall of the sprawling military area, a security official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
“After a breach in the wall, five to six more attackers attempted to enter the cantonment but were eliminated,” the security official said.
Jaish Al-Fursan claimed responsibility for the attack, the third militant assault in Pakistan since Ramadan started Sunday. In a statement, the group said the source of the blasts were explosive-laden vehicles.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and expressed his grief over the loss of life. The chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, ordered an inquiry.
Militants have targeted Bannu several times. Last November, a suicide car bomb killed 12 troops and wounded several others at a security post.
In July, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives-laden vehicle and other militants opened fire near the outer wall of the military facility.