A devastating car bomb and gun assault struck the Frontier Corps (FC) Lines on Kohat Road in Bannu early Tuesday, in an operation claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadar Group, Jabahatul Mahdi Khorasan, and Al Badar Ishtihadi Kandak factions operating under the umbrella of the Ittihadul Muhajideen Pakistan (IMP). The attack unleashed chaos and gunfire, prompting an immediate security lockdown across the area.
According to security officials, the Khawarij rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the compound wall at 5:10am, triggering a massive blast that shook the surrounding neighbourhood. The explosion hurled debris and vehicle parts across the vicinity. In its aftermath, armed Khawarij stormed into the FC Lines, engaging in heavy exchanges of fire with security forces that continued in intervals throughout the day.
All routes leading to the compound were swiftly sealed, while residents reported hearing repeated bursts of gunfire. No official casualty figures were immediately confirmed, though a counter-operation was launched to eliminate the assailants.
In a statement circulated after the assault, Jabahatul Mahdi Khorasan claimed responsibility, asserting that the attack began with a car bomb followed by the entry of their fighters. The Hafiz Gul Bahadar Group and Al Badar Ishtihadi Kandak also released claims of responsibility, aligning themselves under the broader banner of the IMP — a newly emerging Khawarij conglomerate seeking to intensify its operations in northwestern Pakistan.
Security officials expressed concern that the consolidation of such Khawarij factions under the IMP could further destabilize the region, complicating counterinsurgency efforts and sustaining threats of cross-border violence. The IMP has positioned itself as an alliance of proscribed outfits, seeking to revive the violent legacy of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) while attempting to unify disparate Khawarij groups.
By late evening, security forces were continuing clearance operations inside the compound. Authorities said a detailed account of casualties and operational results would be released once the situation was fully contained.
