At least four Pakistani soldiers were killed and several civilians injured after a suicide car bomber and three gunmen attacked a military post near a village in northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, triggering a fierce gunbattle that lasted nearly an hour, authorities said.
Attack in former militant stronghold
The attack took place in North Waziristan, a region bordering Afghanistan that was once a stronghold of militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban. According to the Pakistani military and local police, the assault began when militants attempted to breach the military post’s perimeter.
When troops repelled the initial attempt, the attackers rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the outer wall of the post, leading to a powerful blast that caused significant damage to nearby residential structures.
Civilians among the injured
Police said the explosion caused several nearby homes to collapse, injuring at least 15 civilians, including women and children. A local mosque was also damaged in the blast, officials confirmed.
“The impact of the bombing was severe, and emergency services were rushed to the area to evacuate the injured and clear debris,” a senior police officer said, adding that the condition of some civilians remains serious.
All attackers killed
In a statement, the military said all four attackers were killed during the exchange of fire. While no group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, the military blamed the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for carrying out the assault.
“The attackers were neutralised by our troops after an intense firefight,” the statement said, reaffirming the army’s commitment to counter-terrorism operations in the region.
Allegations of cross-border planning
The military further alleged that the attack was “planned and directed” from across the border in Afghanistan. There was no immediate response from Kabul. Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has repeatedly stated that it does not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks against any country, including Pakistan.
Pakistan’s military said it expects Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers to take concrete steps to prevent militant groups from using Afghan soil to target Pakistan. “Pakistan reserves the right to take necessary action against militants and their facilitators,” the statement added.
Ongoing security concerns
North Waziristan has witnessed a resurgence of militant violence in recent years despite large-scale military operations in the past. Security forces have intensified patrols in the area following Friday’s attack, while investigations continue to identify local support networks involved in the incident.