13 Soldiers Killed in Suicide Bombing in Northwest Pakistan. Photo Credit: HT
At least 13 soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing when an explosive-laden vehicle rammed into a military convoy in northwest Pakistan’s North Waziristan district on Saturday. Security officials report that the attack followed a surge in militant violence, with both military personnel and civilians among the dead and wounded in the bombing that has reignited fears across the region.
According to the Hindustan Times The incident occurred in the Khadi Market area of Mir Ali, North Waziristan, in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to multiple sources, a suicide bomber drove a vehicle packed with explosives into a convoy belonging to a bomb disposal unit of the 22 Frontier Force Regiment. Following the initial explosion, gunmen opened fire on rescue teams and security personnel who rushed to the scene, compounding the toll.
Local officials confirmed that 13 soldiers were killed in the suicide bombing, while 10 soldiers and 19 civilians—including women and children—sustained injuries in the blast and subsequent gunfire. Several homes nearby suffered structural damage, with at least six children reported injured due to collapsing roof sections.
Security teams rapidly cordoned off the area and secured the scene. Emergency responders transported casualties to the nearest military hospital in Mir Ali and to civilian facilities in nearby towns. Several of the injured remained in critical condition late into the evening. Authorities are conducting forensic examinations of the scene and impounded vehicles for analysis.
A faction called Usood-ul-Harb—an offshoot of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—has claimed responsibility, asserting that the attack targeted Pakistan’s military presence in North Waziristan. While this claim matches the pattern of similar militant strikes in the region, no independent verification has yet been released by the military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
This suicide bombing is the deadliest single-day attack on security forces in the area in recent months, following a string of violent incidents targeting military and civilian infrastructure. Last month, another militant group claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a military cantonment in Bannu Cantonment, resulting in eight soldiers’ deaths and numerous injuries.
The surge in such attacks comes as Pakistan has increased its counterterrorism operations in North Waziristan, targeting militant hideouts along the porous border with Afghanistan. However, analysts warn that increased raids and troop deployments have also led to retaliatory strikes by emboldened militant groups seeking to undermine state control.
Islamabad authorities have responded by intensifying intelligence-sharing efforts and extending curfews in vulnerable zones. Reports indicate that roads leading toward Mir Ali and the Afghan border have been temporarily closed, with mobile checkpoints and aerial surveillance ramped up to prevent militant exfiltration.
Security analysts consider the attack a major setback, pointing to intelligence lapses and the evolving tactics of militants. The use of explosive vehicle bombs combined with follow-up firing demonstrates growing sophistication among extremist factions like TTP in North Waziristan.
Pakistan’s caretaker Prime Minister condemned the attack, calling it “an assault on the spirit of the nation” and promising a resolute response. In a televised address, he vowed to “hunt down the perpetrators and destroy the networks behind such cowardly acts.” Pakistan’s Army Chief echoed the sentiment, emphasizing a crackdown on militant sanctuaries on both sides of the Afghan border.
The international community has expressed concern. The United Nations mission in Pakistan urged restraint and called for collaborative security measures to prevent militant retaliation. Western embassies also issued travel advisories warning against visits to northwest Pakistan, citing volatile conditions.
For local residents, Saturday’s attack rekindles traumatic memories. Families displaced by decades of conflict face renewed anxiety and uncertainty. Human rights organizations have highlighted the need for civilian protection alongside military operations, advocating safe zones and humanitarian access.
Officials have announced that military and law enforcement agencies will hold a joint press conference on Sunday to update the public on the progress of rescue operations, arrests, and intelligence developments. Analysts expect enhanced cross-border monitoring and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan to stem the flow of weapons and militants into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
As investigators comb through surveillance footage and explosive remnants, the attack underscores the persistent challenges in achieving lasting stability in northwest Pakistan. For now, the death of 13 soldiers in a suicide bombing marks a grim milestone in the region’s evolving security landscape, with government forces facing a renewed battle against increasingly sophisticated militants.
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