Bannu(The COW News Digital)At least seven people were killed and three others injured in a powerful explosion in Pakistan’s Bannu district, according to police and hospital officials. The incident took place in the Domel tehsil area of Ping, where a passenger vehicle was reportedly targeted in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast.
Police confirmed that the explosion was caused by an IED planted along the roadside, which detonated as a passenger van passed through the area. The vehicle, identified as a local transport van traveling from Hathikhel village, was heavily damaged in the blast.
Emergency responders and law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene shortly after the incident. The injured and deceased were immediately transported to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital in Bannu, where medical staff confirmed that among the injured were children, some of whom are reported to be in critical condition.
Hospital authorities stated that emergency treatment was provided upon arrival, while additional medical teams were called in to handle the influx of casualties. Officials have expressed concern over the severity of injuries sustained by the victims.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to determine the nature of the attack and identify those responsible. Bomb disposal units and investigative teams are collecting evidence from the site to assist in the ongoing inquiry.
Authorities also confirmed that a government official’s vehicle, belonging to a local tehsildar in Sub-Division Wazir, Abdulullah, was caught in the blast’s impact radius. However, the official remained unharmed, though his vehicle sustained damage.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack, and investigations are underway to determine whether the explosion was part of a targeted strike or a broader act of terrorism in the region.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over security in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where sporadic militant activity has previously led to similar attacks on civilian transport.
Officials have vowed to bring those responsible to justice, while security operations in the surrounding areas continue in an effort to prevent further incidents.
