DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan – Thousands of mourners gathered in Bannu, northwestern Pakistan, on Wednesday for the funerals of 18 victims, including six children, killed in a suicide attack on a military installation.
The attack, carried out on Tuesday, involved more than a dozen militants, including four suicide bombers, who drove explosive-laden vehicles into the town’s military base. The military confirmed that the multiple blasts caused a partial collapse of the compound’s outer wall, severely damaging nearby infrastructure, including a mosque and residential buildings.
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According to the military, 13 civilians and five soldiers lost their lives, while 36 others sustained injuries. Muhammad Nauman, a hospital spokesperson, confirmed that many casualties included children and that several victims were trapped under collapsed buildings. Rescue operations are still underway.
Residents described the devastation as unprecedented. Abdullah Khan, a local livestock businessman, called it “the largest funeral ever seen in the town.” Shopkeeper Riaz Wazir lamented the significant destruction, warning that damaged buildings remain hazardous.
The military reported that 16 militants, including the four suicide bombers, were also killed in the attack. No group has claimed responsibility yet, but Pakistan has been battling a surge in attacks by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the country’s chapter of the Islamist Taliban movement, which frequently targets security forces near the Afghan border.
Video footage from the site showed residents clearing debris, with officials searching for more victims under the rubble. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack, vowing, “The evil ambitions of the enemies of Pakistan will never be allowed to succeed.”
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