Feb 17 — A vehicle packed with explosives was driven into a military checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan, resulting in the deaths of 11 security officials and one child, the Pakistan Army reported on Tuesday. The attack comes as the country faces a renewed wave of militant violence.
The blast occurred on Monday in the Bajaur district, which borders Afghanistan. According to the military, women and children were among seven people injured in the explosion.
Security forces had stopped the attackers from entering a residential area designated for soldiers. After being prevented from advancing further, the militants rammed their explosive-laden vehicle into the checkpoint wall, the military said. Twelve militants were shot dead by security personnel as they attempted to escape.
The attack was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), an Islamist militant group that has been carrying out violent operations against the state since 2007. The TTP seeks to impose its strict interpretation of Islamic law across the country and has intensified its assaults after ending a ceasefire with Islamabad in late 2022.
Pakistani authorities have repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration of sheltering TTP operatives—an allegation Kabul continues to reject.
The incident follows a rare bombing earlier this month at a mosque in Islamabad, which killed more than 30 worshippers during Friday prayers. That attack was claimed by the Islamic State, raising concerns that Pakistan may once again be confronting threats from multiple militant groups simultaneously.