Two Police Officers Martyred in Second Attack on Bannu Checkpost in 48 Hours

BANNU: Terrorists launched a second attack within two days on the Fatah Khel police post in Bannu, resulting in the martyrdom of two police officers, police officials confirmed on Saturday.

According to authorities, armed assailants stormed the checkpoint before managing to escape. This marks the second assault on the same security post within 48 hours. Bannu District Police Officer (DPO) stated that the previous night, militants had attempted a similar attack, but security personnel successfully repelled the assault through swift retaliation. However, the attackers managed to flee.

In response, security forces have intensified measures in the region, launching a search operation to track down the perpetrators.

The attack comes amid a sharp rise in terrorist incidents across the country. According to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), January 2025 saw a 42% increase in militant attacks compared to the previous month.

The report recorded at least 74 militant attacks nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Additionally, 117 individuals were injured, among them 53 security personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP’s settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, leading to 19 deaths, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants. Meanwhile, the tribal districts of KP (erstwhile FATA) witnessed 19 attacks, resulting in 46 casualties, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.

Authorities have vowed to intensify counterterrorism efforts to curb the rising wave of violence.