At least 20 people, including security personnel, women and militants, were killed and several others injured in attacks in Hangu and Bannu district and two bomb blasts in Orakzai Agency on Thursday.
Per reports, the attack in Hangu occurred in Thall area, where a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security checkpost.
Deputy Superintendent Police Shaukat Ali Shah said seven people were killed on the spot and more than 10 were left seriously injured. Those killed included five personnel of security forces and two women. The condition of several of the injured was said to be in danger.
No one has claimed responsibility for suicide attack so far, but police suspected the involvement of Taliban militants. Separately in Hassanzai Bazaar of Orakzai Agency, unidentified militants targeted a vehicle of tribal peace lashkar volunteers with an improvised explosive device (IED). At least seven of the volunteers were killed and nine were injured. The volunteers were on their way to attend a meeting with the political administration.
Meanwhile in Bannu, at least six militants, believed to be suicide bombers, were killed and two policemen injured as police countered a major terror attack on Maryan Police Station early on Thursday. Officials sources and intelligence officials said the militants fired rockets and stormed into the Maryan police station, leading to a gun battle with the security forces.
During the gun battle the security forces claimed to have killed six suicide bombers, while intelligence sources said the militants blew themselves up causing huge damage inside the police station. The officials said the exact number of the attackers was being ascertained and initial reports put the number at five to six.
Another security official claimed that two suicide bombers were blown up into pieces as the security forces challenged and shot at them.
Reinforcements were called in and both police and the paramilitary troops took up positions.
After the Bannu jailbreak incident last year, this was the second coordinated attack on government installations in Bannu, a settled area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In another attack the militants launched a rocket attack on a security checkpost near Gurgur gas field, but the militants managed to escape after the security forces repulsed the attack.
