Saturday, February 21, 2026-A deadly suicide bombing struck a security forces convoy in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest Pakistan on Saturday, killing two soldiers — including Lieutenant Colonel Shahzada Gul Faraz — the military confirmed.
The blast occurred when a vehicle laden with explosives was driven into the military convoy during an intelligence-based operation targeting militants in the rugged border region near Afghanistan. Authorities described the incident as part of ongoing counter-terror efforts against groups responsible for repeated deadly attacks in the area.
Pakistan’s military said the suicide bomber was intercepted by lead security personnel, averting what they termed a potential catastrophe against civilians and law enforcement, but the attacker still managed to ram the explosives into one of the convoy’s vehicles.
During the subsequent engagement, five armed militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces. The deaths of the lieutenant colonel and a sepoy underscored the risks faced by Pakistani troops as they carried out operations in one of the country’s most volatile regions.
No group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack, but suspicion is likely to fall on militant organizations long active in the area, particularly the Tehrik‑e‑Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad accused of operating from across the Afghan border — a charge Kabul has denied.
The bombing follows a recent surge in militant violence in northwest Pakistan, including a separate assault earlier this week that left more troops and civilians dead, and has heightened tensions between Islamabad and neighboring authorities over cross-border security issues.
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