A suicide car bombing targeting a military convoy in Pakistan’s volatile Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has claimed the lives of 13 soldiers and injured 29 others, including civilians and children.
According to local authorities, the assailant rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the convoy as it passed through the North Waziristan district. The intense blast also caused the collapse of two nearby residential rooftops, injuring six children.
Ten more military personnel were wounded in the blast, four of whom are said to be in critical condition. Nineteen civilians were also caught in the explosion, amplifying public fear and concern over deteriorating regional security.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known for its brutal insurgent operations, claimed responsibility through its suicide bomber wing. The group has escalated its activities in areas bordering Afghanistan since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021.
Security analysts say the attack reflects a sharp uptick in insurgent violence in Pakistan’s tribal belt. According to AFP estimates, nearly 290 people—mostly security officials—have lost their lives in militant violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan this year alone.
As Pakistan reels from the tragedy, defence analysts warn of further instability unless cross-border militancy is decisively curbed.
