BANNU (Dunya News) – Five police officers were injured when terrorists launched a late-night assault on a checkpost in the Shaikh Landak area, which falls under the Havaid police limits in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, officials said on Friday.
According to a statement from Regional Police Officer spokesperson Kashif Nawaz, the attackers — referred to by authorities as Fitna al Khawarij, a term used for members of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — targeted the post late Thursday night.
The statement noted that police personnel responded with bravery and swift action, successfully thwarting the attack. It added that the terrorists suffered significant casualties due to the strong and sustained retaliatory fire, with the gunbattle lasting nearly three hours. Several militants were reportedly killed or wounded.
Armed tribesmen and peace committee members also joined the police in the fight. Five officers received minor injuries and were swiftly moved to a hospital.
Following orders from Bannu Deputy Inspector General Sajjad Khan, additional forces arrived at the location and sealed off the area.
Both the DIG and District Police Officer Yasir Afridi commended the police and local residents for their courage, with the DPO later visiting the injured officers.
The statement reiterated that Bannu police remain a firm line of defense against militants and vowed that the fight against terrorism would persist until the threat is eliminated.
This incident came amid heightened tension in the region, a day after a quadcopter attack by terrorists injured at least seven people — including children — during a football match. Pakistan has seen a rise in militant violence, especially in KP and Balochistan, following the TTP’s decision to end its ceasefire in November 2022 and resume attacks on security forces and law enforcement personnel.