Suicide attack on Pakistan security post kills 14 police officers; breakaway Taliban group claims responsibility

The death toll from a suicide attack on a security post in northwest Pakistan rose to 14 police officers, authorities said early Sunday. A self-proclaimed breakaway group of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the blast.

The attack took place late Saturday in Bannu, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. A senior police officer stated that a suicide bomber and several gunmen detonated an explosives-laden vehicle near the post. The assailants then opened fire, though the exact sequence and duration of the exchange were not detailed in initial reports. The security post was targeted in a coordinated assault involving a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and gunmen.

The group claiming responsibility described itself as a splinter faction of the Pakistani Taliban, an alliance of militant groups that has fought the Pakistani state. The breakaway faction did not immediately issue a statement explaining its motives, and it was not clear how many attackers were involved beyond the initial report of a bomber and several gunmen. The claim of responsibility was reported by multiple news outlets, citing police and local authorities.

All 14 confirmed dead were police officers. Authorities did not immediately release information on the number of wounded or the extent of damage to the security post. The area has seen previous militant activity, and security forces maintain a presence to counter threats from groups operating along the border with Afghanistan.

By early Sunday, security personnel had secured the site and launched an investigation. Officials said they were working to determine whether any attackers escaped and to gather evidence. The Pakistani Taliban has experienced internal divisions, leading to the emergence of breakaway factions. The group claiming Saturday's attack is one such offshoot, though its specific name and leadership were not provided in initial reports.

The attack underscores the security challenges in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a province that has witnessed assaults on police and military targets. The Pakistani government has conducted military operations against militant strongholds, but sporadic violence continues. No other group has claimed involvement, and authorities have not indicated any alternative perpetrators. As of early Sunday, no further details were available about the attackers' identities or the group's specific demands.

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