Bannu, September 8, 2025: Three Afghan nationals were among the five suicide bombers who carried out last week’s deadly assault on a Pakistani security forces base in the border district of Bannu, security sources said on Monday.
The attackers were identified as Abdul Aziz (alias Qasid Mohajer) from Paktika’s Mata Khan district, Shabir Ahmad (alias Mawlawi Bilal Mohajer) from Saidabad in Maidan Wardak, and Najibullah (alias Haziqa) from Khost province. Pakistani authorities, however, have yet to officially confirm the identities.
A video showed one of the militants vowing to “sacrifice himself in the path of God” in Pakistan and urging the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to facilitate his mission. He claimed to be based in Bahramcha, Helmand province.
According to police, the assault began when militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the compound wall before storming the base. A fierce 12-hour gun battle ensued, leaving six security personnel and six attackers dead, while 16 security personnel and three civilians were injured.
Analysts noted that the tactics mirrored those used by the Afghan Taliban during their insurgency against the former Afghan government and US-led coalition forces — including coordinated suicide bombings and vehicle-borne attacks.
The incident has further strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. On Friday, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry rejected remarks by Taliban Defence Minister Yaqoob Mujahid, who had mocked the Pakistani army’s capacity to counter insurgents. The ministry described his comments as “taunts and jibes” aimed at deflecting attention from the presence of TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of providing safe havens to anti-Pakistan militants, a charge the Taliban deny. International estimates suggest around 6,000 TTP fighters remain active in Afghanistan, where they are believed to maintain training facilities.
