Islamabad: At least 13 soldiers were killed in a suicide attack in Pakistan's north-western tribal region near the Afghan border, officials reported. The attack occurred in the Mir Ali region of North Waziristan district, an area previously dominated by al-Qaeda and the Taliban.
According to Ghana News Agency, the militants targeted an army convoy with an explosive-laden vehicle, resulting in the deaths of 13 soldiers. Additionally, 24 people, including 14 civilians, were injured when the vehicle detonated next to the army vehicle. The death toll may rise, as six individuals, including four soldiers, are in critical condition.
A militant group affiliated with the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for this attack, marking one of the most severe incidents in recent months within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Earlier this week, an army officer and a soldier were killed by militants in the same province.
The TTP, an umbrella group for Islamist militants in Pakistan, has intensified its assaults on security forces after a fragile truce with the government in 2022. The group has notably increased its attacks on security forces in the north-western region of the country.
Pakistan's government has accused Kabul of hesitating to act against Islamist militants reportedly operating from bases in Afghanistan. However, the Afghan regime denies these allegations.
