[Today’s Prayer] New Militant Group Carries Out Car Bomb Attack in Pakistan… 15 Police Officers Killed

In northwestern Pakistan near the Afghan border, a newly formed militant group carried out a bomb attack targeting a police checkpoint, killing 15 police officers.

According to Reuters, AP, and AFP on the 10th (local time), a suicide bombing occurred the previous afternoon in the outskirts of Bannu in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in northwestern Pakistan.

A terrorist drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into a police checkpoint, after which armed militants stormed inside the checkpoint and opened fire on police officers. The militant group then launched an ambush attack targeting security personnel who had been dispatched to support the police officers.

Pakistani police stated that after multiple explosions and gun battles, 15 police officers were killed and 3 injured. In addition to the checkpoint, several nearby homes were also damaged. Muhammad Sajjad Khan, spokesperson for the Bannu police, explained, “Some officers died during the firefight, while others died after buildings collapsed.”

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The newly formed militant group “Mujahideen (Islamic Warriors) Alliance” (IMP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to media outlets. The group was formed last April through the union of three factions of the extremist militant organization Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Pakistani authorities consider it to be a front organization for the TTP.

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In recent years, attacks by militant groups have sharply increased in Pakistan’s border regions near Afghanistan, with most believed to be the work of the TTP. Formed by Sunni Islamic militant groups, the TTP seeks to overthrow the Pakistani government and establish a state governed by Islamic law, or Sharia.

Although distinct from the Afghan Taliban, the TTP reportedly shares a similar ideology and has maintained cooperative relations with them for a long time. They are also believed to operate various terrorist activities while moving between Pakistan and hideouts based in Afghanistan.

As a result, Pakistan has criticized the Afghan Taliban government for tolerating militant activity near the border, while Afghanistan has denied the accusation. Last October and again during February–March of this year, the two countries even engaged in military clashes.

Although the two nations later held informal talks in Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region last month under Chinese mediation and agreed not to engage in actions that would worsen the situation, they did not sign a ceasefire agreement.

Source: Yonhap News

“The words of their mouths are sinful; let them be trapped by their pride, by the curses and lies they utter. Consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more; then it will be known to the ends of the earth that God rules over Jacob… But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

[12] For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, Let them even be taken in their pride, And for the cursing and lying which they speak. [13] Consume them in wrath, consume them, That they may not be; And let them know that God rules in Jacob To the ends of the earth. Selah...[16] But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.

God, we hear the news that a suicide bombing occurred in the outskirts of Bannu, Pakistan, near the Afghan border, killing 15 police officers and injuring 3 others.

Lord, please comfort the hearts of the bereaved families of the police officers and the local residents who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Grant healing grace to the bodies and hearts of those injured while working. Lord, please have mercy on the people living in Pakistan’s border regions who continue to suffer amid repeated attacks by militant groups.

As this attack is also believed to have been carried out by the Pakistani Taliban, we ask that You quickly destroy, by Your wrath, the curses and lies through which the Pakistani Taliban deceive the people of Pakistan. Set Pakistan free from the emptiness of Islam that has bound the nation, and destroy the commanders and ideologies of the Pakistani Taliban that do not value human life, so that the commanders may repent and turn to You.

Protect the residents of Pakistan’s border regions who suffer because of the Pakistani Taliban with Your fortress, and let the people of Pakistan realize that it is the Lord who rules and protects them.

May the Pakistani Church rise up singing of the Lord’s strength and fulfill its mission of proclaiming the Lord, who is a refuge to Pakistan and to the ends of the earth. May it help free Pakistan from false Islam and lead it back to Jesus, who is the Truth.

May the global Church pray earnestly for peace and stability between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and send workers filled with passion for the Gospel so that all peoples in both nations may come under the rule of Jesus.

And through this, may Pakistan boldly rise as the final weapon of the holy Gospel of Jesus Christ, raising up FM 1% and running powerfully to the nations in preparation for the Lord’s return!