North Waziristan: A suicide attacker driving an explosives-laden vehicle struck a military convoy in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Saturday, killing at least 13 Pakistani soldiers and injuring several others, according to local sources.
Residents and government officials confirmed to Human Online that the vehicle rammed into the convoy in what they described as a suicide bombing. Approximately 10 soldiers sustained injuries, some of them critical, and were transported by air to a nearby military medical facility for treatment.
The office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur later confirmed the nature of the attack and reported that eight security personnel were killed. The chief minister strongly condemned the incident and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.
"A massive explosion shook the area," a local administrator said. Witnesses reported heavy smoke visible from afar, and one resident noted that the shockwave shattered windowpanes and caused roofs of some homes to collapse.
As of now, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while according to unverified claims circulating on social media , the attack was carried out by a terrorist organization under Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group.
The incident was later confirmed by ISPR. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), a convoy of security forces was targeted in a suicide attack attempt in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan. The attacker, driving an explosives-laden vehicle, tried to ram into the convoy. ISPR noted that a forward security element identified the threat and acted promptly to prevent a larger catastrophe.
Despite the intervention, the vehicle managed to strike one of the military vehicles, resulting in the deaths of 13 security personnel. In addition, three civilians — including two children and a woman — were reported injured in the incident.
ISPR alleged that the attack was orchestrated by what it described as "India-sponsored terrorists." Following the blast, security forces launched a clearance operation in the area, during which 14 militants were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire.
North Waziristan, which borders Afghanistan, has long been considered a sanctuary for various Islamist militant factions who operate across the frontier. Islamabad maintains that many of these groups run training bases inside Afghanistan and orchestrate cross-border attacks — an accusation the Afghan government denies, attributing the violence to Pakistan's internal issues.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an alliance of militant groups seeking to impose their version of Islamic governance in Pakistan, has been behind numerous attacks targeting security forces in the region.
The latest bombing follows a noticeable rise in militant activity across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in recent months, including a series of drone (quadcopter) strikes resulting in civilian casualties. Just a day earlier, 16 civilians were wounded in a drone attack in Lakki Marwat, another district adjacent to Waziristan.
The Pakistani military, which has conducted several large-scale operations to root out militants, remains a primary target for these insurgent groups.
