Twin explosions in Bannu left at least seven people dead and three others injured on Saturday in the Merka Bera area, according to District Police Officer Yasir Afridi.
The first blast occurred when a roadside explosive device detonated near a passenger van traveling from Hathi Khel village to Bannu. Five passengers were killed in the explosion.
A second blast took place shortly afterward at the same location. Two people who had joined rescue efforts after the first explosion lost their lives in the second attack. A vehicle was also damaged, while three people suffered injuries.
Rescue teams shifted the bodies and injured victims to Khalifa Gul Nawaz Teaching Hospital for treatment and legal procedures.
Police and security officials have launched an investigation into the incident and are collecting further evidence to determine the nature of the attack.
The latest violence comes months after a suicide bombing in Bannu in April that killed five people, including three women and a child, and injured four others. The attacker had attempted to target civilians gathered outside a police station.
Security forces have intensified counter-terrorism operations across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, amid a rise in militant attacks.
According to the military’s media wing, 48 militants linked to Fitna al-Khawarij were killed in operations in North Waziristan during the first two weeks of June.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp increase in terrorist activity since 2021, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan following the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in Afghanistan.
In response, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq and carried out a series of operations against militant groups operating along the border region.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have also remained high since border clashes erupted in October 2025. Despite several rounds of talks, both sides have yet to reach a breakthrough on security concerns and cross-border militancy.