Militants launched a deadly assault on a security compound in northwest Pakistan, using an explosives-laden truck and gunfire, resulting in the deaths of at least nine paramilitary officers, officials reported on Friday. The attack occurred on Thursday in the Bajaur district, a region near the Afghan border that has experienced heightened violence in recent weeks.
Details of the Attack
A senior security official in Peshawar stated that nine paramilitary officers and ten militants were killed during the confrontation. The attackers drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into the compound's gate before opening fire. After a prolonged exchange of gunfire, the assailants fled the scene. At least 35 security personnel were wounded in the assault. Another senior government official in Bajaur confirmed the death toll.
Responsibility Claimed
The militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is highly active in the region, claimed responsibility for the attack. In a separate incident in Bajaur's Inayat Killi area, three security personnel were injured when a mortar shell landed inside another Frontier Corps camp.
Recent Violence in the Region
The Bajaur attack follows a series of violent incidents in the area. On Sunday, a car bomb attack in the Fateh Khel area of Bannu killed 15 people. Earlier, on May 7, a mortar attack on a market in the Thall area of Hangu district resulted in six deaths. The ongoing violence underscores the fragile security situation in Pakistan's northwestern regions.
Cross-Border Tensions
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan of harboring terrorist hideouts, a claim that Afghanistan denies. The strained relations between the two neighboring countries have escalated into deadly armed conflicts in recent months, including Pakistani airstrikes on cities in Afghanistan.
