Militants detonated a car bomb at a police checkpoint in Bannu, northwestern Pakistan, and opened fire on officers, killing at least 12 people, authorities said Sunday. The attack took place late Saturday in the Fateh Khel area.

Bannu police official Muhammad Sajjad Khan said a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the checkpoint, after which multiple militants entered the post. Images from the scene showed the checkpoint reduced to rubble, with bricks, charred debris, and mangled vehicles scattered across the area.

An officer speaking on condition of anonymity said that other law enforcement personnel sent to help the police were ambushed by the terrorists, causing some of the casualties. A senior administrative official in Bannu told AFP that during the assault, militants used quadcopters along with heavy weaponry, and while retreating, took police personnel and weapons with them.

The attack is the latest in the border province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amid a wave of militancy that has strained ties between Islamabad and Kabul. Bannu has been gripped by militant activity due to its proximity to the border with Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s Taliban government has denied Pakistani accusations that it provides safe haven to militant groups. In recent months, the strained diplomatic ties have spiraled into armed conflict, including Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan cities.

Source: www.dw.com