Daijiworld Media Network - Islamabad
Islamabad, Jun 29: A devastating suicide bombing in the Khadi area of North Waziristan early Saturday has claimed the lives of at least 13 Pakistani soldiers and injured 29 others, including 19 civilians, in one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent months.
According to security sources cited by Pakistani media outlet Mashriq TV, the attacker rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a mine-resistant IED vehicle operated by the Bomb Disposal Unit. The assault took place despite a curfew imposed in the area due to ongoing military operations.
The blast was followed by indiscriminate gunfire, further intensifying the chaos and contributing to the civilian toll. Among the 29 injured are several women and children, with authorities warning that the death toll may rise as many remain in critical condition.
The Usud al-Harab, a sub-group of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has claimed responsibility for the attack. The incident has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s security establishment, highlighting the resurgence of militant activity in the volatile tribal belt along the Afghanistan border.
While the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) — the Pakistan Army’s media wing — has not yet issued an official statement, security forces have sealed off the area and launched a search operation to track down those behind the attack.
This latest attack underscores the worsening security situation in North Waziristan, a region that has seen a series of deadly assaults despite military efforts to root out militancy.
The incident comes just weeks after a car bomb explosion in Balochistan’s Qila Abdullah killed four people and injured over 20 in a crowded commercial area near a Frontier Corps (FC) fort. That blast, too, was claimed by the TTP, amid growing concerns about its coordination with the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has stepped up its offensives in recent months.
Security analysts warn of increasing cooperation between insurgent factions across Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, indicating a more unified threat to Pakistan’s internal stability.