ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Sixteen security personnel were killed early Saturday in an attack by Islamist militants in northwest Pakistan, according to a senior police official in South Waziristan.
The attack on a security post occurred at around 2 a.m. local time (2100 GMT Friday), and eight other personnel were injured, said Hidayat Ullah, the deputy superintendent of police in the region. “A search operation is under way in the area,” he added, noting that the attackers used both light and heavy weapons.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the assault. In a statement shared via a WhatsApp channel, the group claimed a higher death toll, saying at least 35 security personnel had been killed and 15 others injured. The TTP did not disclose whether any of its fighters were killed.
The TTP, an umbrella organization of various Sunni Islamist militant factions, has intensified its attacks in recent months, primarily targeting security forces. The group seeks to overthrow Pakistan’s government and establish a strict Islamic system of governance.
