13 soldiers killed in KP convoy attack; 14 militants killed in counter-operation

At least 13 security personnel were killed and 14 others wounded, including three civilians, in a suicide bombing near Khaddi Market of Mirali in North Waziristan, a restive district in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police officials said.

Jehanzaib Zarar, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in Mirali, confirmed the development to Nukta, stating that the attack occurred during routine troop movement. “A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a military convoy,” he said.

Waqar Ahmed, District Police Officer (DPO), informed that bomb disposal teams were collecting evidence at the site. “It’s too early to confirm the quantity of explosives used, but the damage suggests a significant amount was packed into the vehicle,” he noted.

Police officials stated that a curfew had been imposed in the area due to military movement, which kept civilian presence to a minimum.

Three civilians including a woman and two children sustained injuries after the roof of a nearby house collapsed from the blast's shockwave. The injured were shifted to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital for medical treatment.

“The number of military casualties is high, but the exact figures have not yet been shared with the police,” the DPO said.

He added that an investigation is underway to determine how the suicide bomber managed to reach the convoy despite the curfew in place. “Details regarding the breach and the attacker will be shared with the media once officially confirmed,” Ahmed said.

Security sources told Nukta on condition of anonymity that a suicide bombing has claimed the lives of 13 army personnel and left 10 others injured, six of whom are in critical condition.

According to a list of casualties seen by Nukta, those martyred in the attack include Zahid, Mian Yousaf, Sohrab, Khitab Shah, Ismail, Rohail, Nawab, Sakhi Gul, Zubair, Ramzan, Hashim, Manzar, and Mudassir. The injured have been identified as Alam, Wali Muhammad, Shahab, Fayyaz, Sakhawat, Qadeer, Hafiz Ikram, Tanveer Tahir, and Syed Arif.

The outlawed Usood-ul-Harb group, specifically its suicide unit Huzaifa Istishhadi Kandak, a sub-faction of the Hafiz Gul Bahadar group, has claimed responsibility for the deadly suicide bombing.

Security sources believe the group receives operational support from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), though new aliases are frequently adopted to mask the TTP’s direct role in such attacks.

Military blames India, reports killing 14 militants

Pakistan's military accused India of orchestrating the attack and said security forces killed 14 militants in subsequent operations.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) called the bombing a "cowardly attack, planned and orchestrated by the terrorist state of India, and executed by its proxy Fitna al Khwarij."

According to the military statement, the suicide bomber was initially intercepted but then "rammed" his explosives-laden vehicle into the convoy "in desperation."

In follow-up operations, security forces "sent fourteen khwarij to hell" after an "intense fire exchange," the ISPR said, using the military's term for militant groups.

The military provided full details of the 13 killed soldiers, ranging in age from 20 to 45 and representing districts across Pakistan.

Pakistan's military frequently accuses India of sponsoring militant attacks, allegations India denies.