8 troops killed in nighttime storming of border outpost

Militants stormed a security outpost in Pakistan’s northwest, ramming a vehicle filled with explosives into the camp before waging a gun battle that killed at least eight troops and injured 35 others, two security officials said on Friday.

The bombing on Thursday night follows three militant attacks in recent days that have killed nearly 30 people and threatened to reignite fighting with neighbouring Afghanistan, which Pakistan blames for harbouring militant groups.

Images from the outpost, situated along the mountainous border with Afghanistan in Bajaur district, showed that much of the structure had been reduced to bricks and rubble, while parts of the remaining building were charred and blackened.

“The terrorists first targeted the camp with a quadcopter and then an explosive-laden car struck the building, causing a huge explosion,” one of the officials said.

“Armed terrorists later entered the security camp and opened indiscriminate fire.”

He said the outpost was a key installation for countering cross-border attacks.

The two officials said security forces in the region had responded immediately and killed all the militants involved. Pakistan’s military has not issued a statement on the attack.

A journalist in Bajaur town said the blast was so powerful that it was felt at markets over 20 km from the outpost and the military had since closed off roads and surrounded the area.

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to journalists.

Since Saturday, two attacks near the town of Bannu, also in the northwest, have killed 25 people while a shootout with militant groups in the southwestern Balochistan province left five soldiers dead, the military said in a statement.

Islamabad says the TTP’s leadership and many of its fighters are based in Afghanistan, as are armed insurgents seeking independence for Balochistan. Kabul has repeatedly denied allowing militants to use Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan.

Islamabad launched airstrikes on Kabul in February, saying it was targeting militant strongholds, sparking the worst fighting between the two countries in years.

In a separate development, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting in Islamabad with US Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Paul Kapur, where both sides discussed bilateral relations and the evolving situation in the Middle East.

The meeting was also attended by US Acting Ambassador Natalie Baker, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, and the Federal Interior Secretary.

Key areas of discussion included enhancing cooperation in security, counterterrorism, and narcotics control.

During the meeting, discussions centered around Pakistan-US relations and the latest situation in the Middle East.

Both sides also exchanged views on increasing cooperation in the fields of security, counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics.

On this occasion, Naqvi informed Paul Kapur that Pakistan-US relations have further been strengthened during President Donald Trump’s tenure.

The interior minister said that Pakistan-US relations were based on mutual trust and bilateral cooperation.

He further said that foolproof security has been ensured for US companies working on the Reko Diq project.

“We want the early start of direct flights between Pakistan and the US,” Naqvi told the American officials.

The minister said Pakistan hoped for a lasting and peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict.

The US Deputy Secretary of State praised Pakistan’s role in promoting peace and stability in the region.

Reuters / NNI