Islamabad, Pakistan — Militants attacked a military base in northwestern Pakistan, killing eight security personnel, the military said on Tuesday. The assault began when a suicide bomber drove a vehicle loaded with explosives into a perimeter wall.
The attack, which took place on Monday, marks an increase in Islamist militancy in the volatile northwest region bordering Afghanistan. Last month, the government launched a counter-insurgency operation in the area in response to rising violence.
The militants targeted the base in Bannu, near the tribal area of North Waziristan, a known hotspot for Islamist militancy and close to the Afghanistan border. Security forces killed all 10 assailants involved, the military said in a statement. “This timely and effective response … prevented a major catastrophe, saving precious innocent lives,” the statement added.
Among the dead were seven army members and one paramilitary soldier.
The British colonial-era military base has historically been used as a launchpad for anti-militant operations. It is surrounded by civilian dwellings, which were shaken by the explosion from Monday’s blast, two local officials told Reuters. They said the initial blast was used to breach the perimeter wall, allowing other militants to enter the base.
The attack was claimed by the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which the military said operates out of neighboring Afghanistan “to orchestrate acts of terrorism inside Pakistan.”
Islamabad has consistently raised the issue of cross-border attacks with the Taliban administration, which denies allowing Afghan soil to be used for attacks.
The matter has escalated tensions between the neighboring countries, leading to clashes between their border forces. The militant group involved in the latest attack was the same one targeted by Pakistan in a rare cross-border operation.
