ISLAMABAD: Authorities have identified three Afghan nationals as suicide bombers involved in last week’s attack on the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which left six security personnel dead.
Investigators said the first bomber, Abdul Aziz alias Qadir Muhajir, was from Paktika’s Mata Khan district. In a video message released earlier, he had sought support from the Indian proxy, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to carry out an attack in Pakistan and had revealed his location as Baramcha in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.
The second bomber was identified as Maulvi Shabbir Ahmed alias Meli or Bilal Muhajir, son of Mullah Ismatullah, a resident of Saeedabad, Wardak province.
The third bomber, Najibullah alias Huzaifa Muhajir, from Musa Khel in Khost province, drove the explosives-laden vehicle that rammed into the FC compound wall before detonating.
Officials said three of the five attackers were Afghan citizens. Pakistan has long maintained that Afghan nationals are involved in terrorism inside its borders and often receive assistance from elements among Afghan refugees. Authorities estimate that 70 to 80 percent of terrorist groups operating in Pakistan now consist of Afghan nationals.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban government of failing to act against these groups, while domestic critics often shield militants under the guise of human rights advocacy. Officials argue that such groups, including the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and certain NGOs, attempt to restrict counterterrorism operations while benefitting financially from external sources.
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According to the military’s media wing, the attackers, described as “Khawarij terrorists backed by India,” attempted to breach the FC headquarters’ security but were repelled by security personnel. A vehicle-borne suicide blast damaged part of the perimeter wall and nearby civilian property, injuring three civilians.
The clash left six soldiers dead, while security forces killed five militants in the retaliatory operation.
