Peshawar: Six soldiers and five terrorists were killed on Tuesday as security forces successfully thwarted a terror attack on the headquarters of a paramilitary force in Pakistan’s restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the army said.
The attack took place in Bannu district when the terrorists belonging to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attempted to breach the security of the Federal Constabulary (FC) headquarters by ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall, the military’s media wing said in a press statement.
The suicide blast caused a partial collapse of the wall and damaged nearby civilian infrastructure, injuring three civilians. However, the attackers’ efforts were quickly foiled by a “vigilant and resolute” response from security forces, the statement said.
Bannu is located close to the lawless border region with neighbouring Afghanistan, which has long been home to Islamist militants.
No group has so far claimed responsibility. A police statement blamed the attack on Islamist militants, without naming any group.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban, an umbrella of several Sunni Islamist organizations, is the main group operating in the border region.
It has been battling the Pakistani state since 2007 in a bid to overthrow the government and replace it with its version of strict Islamic law.
Pakistan says the militants operate out of neighbouring Afghanistan, where they train fighters and plan attacks, a charge Kabul has denied.
