Pakistani troops killed all 10 militants who attacked a military housing complex in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Monday.
The extremists, Pakistan Taliban A splinter group led by Gul Bahadur rammed a vehicle packed with explosives into the compound’s outer wall, killing eight soldiers and wounding others.
A splinter group claimed responsibility for the attack early Monday, and the military responded swiftly, eliminating the attackers in an 18-hour operation that ended on Tuesday.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and other government officials condemned the attack but praised the security forces’ “timely and effective response” which averted a catastrophe.
The army said the suicide attack caused part of a wall to collapse, damaging nearby infrastructure and killing soldiers, but a swift response by security forces prevented further damage and loss of life.
Pakistan The military has consistently expressed concern over the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, it added, “disapproving of the continued use of Afghan territory by terrorists and calling for effective action against such forces.”
Pakistan’s military “will continue to defend its homeland and people against this terrorist threat and will take all necessary measures as deemed appropriate against these threats emanating from Afghanistan,” it said.
The attack was the latest in a surge in militant attacks in northwest Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, most of which are Pakistani Taliban (TTP)is an ally of Afghanistan’s Taliban.
The TTP has intensified attacks on security forces since the Afghan Taliban took power in 2021. There was no immediate comment from Kabul on the attack.
First uploaded: 16 July 2024 17:25 IST
