Suicide attack by militants kills 12 soldiers in northwest Pakistan
A suicide attack by Islamist militants on a military outpost in northwest Pakistan has claimed the lives of at least 12 soldiers, the country’s military confirmed on Wednesday. The attack took place on Tuesday in the northern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, an area long plagued by insurgent violence.
According to a statement from the military’s media wing, militants drove an explosives-laden vehicle into the perimeter wall of the outpost, causing significant damage to the surrounding infrastructure. The force of the blast resulted in the tragic deaths of 12 soldiers, while six militants were reportedly killed in the ensuing firefight.
The military has launched a “sanitization operation” in the area, vowing that those responsible for this deadly attack will be “brought to justice.” However, the statement did not specify which militant group was behind the assault, though Hafiz Gul Bahadur, a leader of an Islamist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
This deadly incident underscores the ongoing challenges facing Pakistan as it battles a resurgence of militant violence, particularly in the rugged northwest. The region has witnessed a sharp uptick in attacks by both Islamist militants and ethnic separatist groups in recent months.
In a related development, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday announced a new military offensive targeting separatist insurgents in the southwestern province of Balochistan, which borders Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The province has been the site of frequent attacks against security forces and key infrastructure, including projects related to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
As tensions continue to rise in both the northwest and southwest, Pakistan’s military is ramping up efforts to restore stability, but the growing violence poses a significant challenge to the country’s security and governance.
