Five martyred in suicide bombing targeting Bannu police station

A devastating suicide car bombing targeting the Domel Police Station in Bannu left at least five civilians dead, including four members of a single family, and 13 others injured, among them a police official, in an attack that rattled the entire area on Friday. The blast occurred when an explosives-laden vehicle rammed into the rear wall of the police station, triggering a powerful explosion followed by an exchange of gunfire. Among the victims were a husband, wife, son and daughter from the same family, underscoring the human toll of the attack. Initial reports indicate that the police station's sentry post was completely destroyed, while a large portion of the building was reduced to rubble. The explosion also caused extensive damage to nearby residential areas, with several houses collapsing and multiple people trapped under debris. According to Rescue 1122, the injured were shifted immediately to nearby hospitals, where some remain in critical condition. District Emergency Officer Bakhtullah Wazir confirmed that five people had been martyred and 13 injured, including one police official. He said search and rescue operations were ongoing and would continue until the area was fully cleared. Rescue teams rushed to the site soon after the incident; however, continuous rainfall hampered relief efforts. Once the firing subsided, rescuers intensified operations, removing debris and extracting those trapped beneath the rubble. Meanwhile, announcements from local mosques appealed to residents for blood donations and assistance, prompting citizens to actively participate in rescue efforts. Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a clearance operation, while further details regarding casualties and damage are being compiled. Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the suicide attack. In their separate statements, the president and the prime minister expressed deep grief and sorrow over the attack, prayed for the grant of eternal peace to those who have passed away and for the early recovery of the injured. They also expressed the government's resolve to completely uproot the menace of terrorism backed by foreign hands.