14 Police Officers Killed in Suicide Bombing at Pakistan Security Post

The death toll from a suicide attack on a security post in northwest Pakistan has risen to 14 police officers after rescuers recovered more bodies from the rubble, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The attack occurred late Saturday in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan. According to security officials, a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the security facility before several gunmen stormed the area, triggering a fierce gun battle with police.

Officials said the powerful blast caused part of the building to collapse, trapping officers beneath the debris. Rescue workers used heavy machinery for hours to retrieve bodies while several injured officers were rushed to nearby hospitals. Three officers reportedly survived the assault and remain hospitalized.

A newly formed militant outfit known as Ittehad-ul-Mujahideen Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistani authorities believe the group is linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, which has intensified attacks since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

Security forces launched a search operation across the region to track down those involved in the coordinated assault. Officials also declared an emergency in hospitals in Bannu as authorities feared the casualty figure could rise further.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, condemned the attack and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. President Asif Ali Zardari also denounced the bombing, describing it as an act of terrorism against the state.

The latest violence highlights worsening security challenges in Pakistan’s northwestern regions, where militant groups continue to target security personnel and government installations despite ongoing counterterrorism operations.