Peshawar, Pakistan – Web Desk: At least seven people were killed and three others injured in two back-to-back roadside bomb explosions in the Merka Bera area of Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province .
District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi confirmed that the first explosion struck a passenger van traveling from Hathi Khel village towards Bannu, killing five passengers on the spot . The explosives were reportedly planted along the roadside .
As local residents rushed to the scene to assist the victims and recover bodies, a second explosion occurred shortly afterward . The subsequent blast claimed the lives of two individuals involved in rescue efforts and also damaged a vehicle .
Authorities confirmed that the bodies of the deceased and the injured were shifted to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital for medical treatment and legal formalities . Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched an investigation, with officials noting concerns that additional explosive devices may still be present in the vicinity .
Bannu district, which borders the restive tribal regions near the Afghan frontier, has witnessed a surge in militant violence in recent months, including attacks on police and civilians .
