Deadly Twin Blasts in Bannu
Twin Explosions in Pakistan's Bannu Kill Seven, Target Rescue Efforts After First Blast
Key Points
Police chief Yasir Afridi said the first blast was caused by a roadside improvised explosive device that detonated as the passenger van was traveling from Hathi Khel village to Bannu city, killing five people on the spot; the second explosion then struck while people were carrying out rescue/recovery efforts.
Authorities described the attacks as “remote-controlled” and said both vehicles were targeted; the first blast occurred in the Phang Musa Khel area, while the second blast happened about a kilometre away as victims were being transported for treatment, killing two more and destroying another vehicle.
Rescue and medical response included transferring victims to Domel Rural Health Centre and Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital, with the article citing Rescue 1122 teams handling the evacuation after the blasts.
President Asif Ali Zardari’s condemnation included a specific warning: he cautioned the “internal and external patrons” of terrorists who provide safe havens, logistics and financial assistance.
Reporting also placed the attack in a pattern of recent violence in Bannu, noting that “a week ago” militants attempted to destroy the Teri Ram Bridge on Miryan Road with explosives, causing partial damage.
Twin roadside bombs killed at least seven people in Pakistan's Bannu district on Saturday, in a calculated double-strike designed to hit rescuers after the first blast. The first explosion tore through a passenger van in the Phang Musa Khel area, killing five on the spot. Minutes later, a second bomb detonated about one kilometer away, killing two more people as they tried to help the wounded, according to Associated Press.
Police described both devices as remote-controlled IEDs — improvised explosive devices, or homemade bombs triggered from a distance. Three others were injured. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, Boston Globe reported.
Second Bomb Targeted Rescuers Carrying the Wounded
The first blast hit a van traveling from Hathi Khel village toward Bannu city. It killed five people instantly. Survivors and volunteers rushed in to move the dead and carry injured passengers to ambulances. That is when the second bomb went off — about one kilometer down the road — destroying another vehicle and killing two more, according to SANA.
District Police Officer Yasir Afridi said the second detonation was a deliberate move. "The second was a calculated move to strike those attempting to help or transport the victims," he said. Rescue 1122 teams eventually evacuated survivors to Domel Rural Health Centre and Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital in Bannu, Ratopati reported.
Officials Condemn Attack, Warn of 'External Patrons'
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it a "cowardly attack on innocent civilians" and ordered authorities to give the best possible care to the three critically injured survivors. President Asif Ali Zardari went further, warning those who give terrorists "safe havens, logistics, and financial assistance" that they would be held accountable, according to Yahoo News.
Zardari's phrase "internal and external patrons" is widely read as a reference to Afghanistan. Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, to operate from Afghan soil. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur also condemned the blasts and requested a full report from the province's top police official, Boston Globe reported.
Bannu Has Seen Four Major Blasts in Thirty Days
Saturday's attack was the fourth major explosion in the Bannu division in the past 30 days. Just one week earlier, militants tried to blow up the Teri Ram Bridge on Miryan Road. The bridge survived but suffered partial damage, signaling a shift toward hitting infrastructure, Associated Press reported.
Bannu sits between Pakistan's settled areas and the volatile North and South Waziristan tribal districts on the Afghan border. The region has seen a sharp rise in IED attacks since the Afghan Taliban retook Kabul in 2021. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 3,811 terrorist incidents in 2025 alone, including 16 suicide attacks, according to SANA.
Security Forces Search for More Devices After Cordon
After the blasts, security forces including the Frontier Corps and local police sealed off the area. They launched a search and clearance operation to find any remaining bombs. Authorities collected evidence and opened a formal investigation. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said the "nefarious designs" of terrorists to destabilize the border region would not succeed, Ratopati reported.
Local residents have grown frustrated with the security situation. Despite heavy military checkpoints on major roads, bombers continue to plant devices on busy transit routes like the one connecting Hathi Khel to Bannu city. The tactic of staging a second blast to kill first responders — sometimes called a "double-tap" strike — makes it even harder for civilians to help the wounded after an initial attack, Boston Globe reported.
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