News Desk
Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – July 15, 2024:
In the early hours of Monday morning, a powerful bomb blast occurred near the Cantt Gate in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, causing extensive structural damage to nearby shops and buildings, including a Christian residential compound, the Christian Pennell memorial Hospital, and a Church. There were no fatalities, but the explosion has left the local community in shock.
The blast, which took place between, 5:00 – 6.00 AM, the blast was so intense that it shattered windows, bent steel door handles, and cracked walls and ceilings of few houses in the vicinity.
One of the most severely affected was the house of Naeem Asher, a Christian motorcycle mechanic whose residence was located very close to the blast site. His house has suffered significant damage, raising concerns about its structural integrity.
Local resident David Masih shared his concerns with White News, stating, “One wall of Naeem Asher has cracked to the extent that it could fall and collapse the house building at any time”.
“There are about fifty to sixty Christian families residing here in the Christian Compound and Hospital residential houses”, he told
“The locks, steel door handles, and iron gates and mirrors of nearby Hospital and Church have also bent due to the high intensity of explosion.” he added
The Christian Pennell Memorial Hospital in Bannu also experienced minor damages. The force of the blast shattered many windows, though the hospital’s overall structure remains intact.
Similarly, the nearby Church sustained broken windows but its main structure was not compromised. According to locals, Bishop of Peshawar Rev. Humphrey Sarfaraz Peters was also on his two-day visit to Bannu Diocese last week.
Despite the extensive material damage, swift action from armed forces against the terrorists, there were no civil casualties reported within the local Christian community of Bannu.