13 soldiers killed in suicide bombing in northwestern Pakistan near Afghan border

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed and dozens injured, including civilians, in a suicide bombing in the country’s northwestern Khbyer Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border, local media reported on Saturday.

The attack was carried out on army convey in Khadi Market, Mir Ali, North Waziristan, according to a local media outlet, Khyber Chronicles, citing security sources.

Security officials said the coordinated attack occurred in Mir Ali when a suicide bomber detonated explosives near a bomb disposal unit vehicle from the 22 Frontier Force Regiment.

At least 24 personnel including 14 civilians were also injured in the attack.

The attack is one of the deadliest single-day attacks on security forces in recent months in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

So far the Pakistan Army has yet to release a statement on the attack.

Following recent attacks on forces in the Waziristan, Khyber, and Kurram districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan's military has stepped up intelligence-based operations in the province.

Islamabad accuses Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, who are allegedly based in Afghanistan, of carrying out terrorist attacks in Pakistan, while Kabul denies that such attacks are launched from its soil.