A suicide bomber drove an explosive-filled vehicle into a military convoy in North Waziristan, with civilians among those injured.
An attacker driving a vehicle laden with explosives struck a military convoy in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. While no group has claimed responsibility, the region has seen ongoing violence and assaults by a terrorist group previously associated with the Taliban.
The Saturday assault resulted in the deaths of 13 soldiers and injuries to 29 individuals, comprising ten military personnel and 19 civilians, an unidentified local official informed AFP. A local police officer reported that the blast caused the collapse of roofs on two homes, leading to injuries for six children.
This suicide attack coincides with a surge in militant aggressions throughout Pakistan. High-ranking military and political figures have linked the rise in violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants launching cross-border attacks from Afghanistan. These officials assert that Kabul offers refuge and assistance to these militants, an accusation that Afghan authorities have refuted.
In June, TTP militants previously killed a police officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lakki Marwat district. When the militants tried to flee, local inhabitants and security personnel pursued them, leading to one militant’s death during a firefight, police reported.
The Global Terrorist Index indicates that TTP ranked among the four terrorist organizations responsible for the highest number of fatalities last year. Casualties linked to TTP almost doubled between 2023 and 2024.