Terrorism bid at Bannu Cantt 'foiled'

• Terrorists detonated IED and injured eight people. 
• Militants prevented from entering Bannu Cantt. 
• Security forces begin clear operation after attack.

PESHAWAR: The security forces foiled terrorists' attempt to launch an attack at the Cantonment Board Bannu (CBB) in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sources told Geo News on Monday. 

According to the people familiar with the development, the terrorists bombed the road between Bannu Cantt's wall and the supply depot at 4:40am.

The terrorists, who were inside a vehicle, detonated an improvised explosive device (IED). The police said that those who sustained injuries were brought to the district headquarters hospital. 

The sources revealed that the terrorists tried entering the Cantt but the security forces foiled their attempt by taking timely action and cornered the militants.

They added that the security forces began a clearance operation in the area following the attack. 

The incident comes as violence and casualty rates across the country plummeted in the second quarter of the 2024, according to the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Annual Security report.

As per the report, the country experienced a 12% reduction in overall violence, with 380 fatalities recorded compared to 432 in the first quarter of this year.

During the second quarter of 2024, Pakistan witnessed 380 violence-linked fatalities and 220 injuries among civilians, security personnel, and outlaws, resulting from as many as 240 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations.

This includes 236 fatalities among civilians and security forces personnel, the report said.

KP and Balochistan provinces – both bordering Afghanistan — were the epicenters of violence, accounting for nearly 92% of all fatalities and 87% of attacks (including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations) during this period.

Individually, KP suffered 67% of all fatalities in Q2, 2024.