The Pakistan Army claims that a terrorist group based in Afghanistan has killed at least eight Pakistani security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan.
In a statement on Tuesday, July 16, the media wing of the Pakistan Army (ISPR) said the attack occurred early Monday when 10 terrorists attempted to enter a military base in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with an explosive-laden vehicle.
The statement notes that after the terrorists were “effectively thwarted” by security forces, they rammed the vehicle into the perimeter wall of the cantonment. The collapse of the wall resulted in the deaths of eight Pakistani security forces.
“In the ensuing operation, our troops effectively engaged the terrorists, resulting in all ten terrorists being sent to hell,” ISPR said.
The Pakistan Army attributed the “heinous act of terrorism” to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, “which operates from Afghanistan and has used Afghan soil to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan in the past as well.”
The statement also emphasizes that Pakistan has consistently raised its concerns with the Taliban, urging them not to allow Afghan soil to be used by terrorists and to take effective action against such groups.
“Pakistan Armed Forces will keep defending the motherland and its people against this menace of terrorism and will take all necessary measures as deemed appropriate against these threats emanating from Afghanistan,” the ISPR statement reads.
Earlier today, Pakistani media outlet Geo News reported another terrorist attack targeting a health center in the Dara Ismail Khan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least seven people, including two security forces and five civilians.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist attacks, with militant groups such as the TTP and its affiliates increasing their violence against the country’s security forces and civilians.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces, which border Afghanistan, have borne the brunt of the violence, accounting for over 90% of fatalities and 84% of attacks last year.
Pakistan claims that members of these militant groups are hiding in Afghanistan, where they receive training and advanced military weapons to launch cross-border attacks and destabilize its border regions.
Last month, Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, threatened to conduct cross-border strikes in Afghanistan in response to the surge in terror incidents in his country. He said that attacking terror havens would not violate international laws, as the enemy freely operates in Afghanistan and plans cross-border attacks.
However, the Taliban denies supporting TTP operations in Pakistan and claims no involvement in recent security incidents in the country. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said that they are not responsible for Pakistan’s internal security issues.
