At least 13 Pakistani soldiers were killed in a deadly suicide car bombing that struck a military convoy in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, near the Afghanistan border, on Saturday. The Pakistani army confirmed the attack, which also left three civilians—including two children and a woman—severely injured.
The powerful explosion was followed by a swift military operation that reportedly killed 14 militants in the area.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the bombing as a “cowardly act,” while Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir vowed that any attempt to destabilize Pakistan would face “swift and decisive retribution.”
Eyewitnesses described a massive blast that shook homes, shattered windows, and caused rooftops to collapse. Smoke from the blast was visible across the town.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, the Pakistani military blamed the attack on militants allegedly supported by India—a charge strongly denied by New Delhi. India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the accusations as baseless.
The attack occurred in a region long plagued by insurgency. North Waziristan, bordering Afghanistan, has been a hotspot for Islamist militant activity. The Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), remains one of the main groups targeting the Pakistani state in its campaign to impose strict Islamic rule.
Islamabad claims that these groups operate out of training camps in Afghanistan, while Kabul denies harboring militants, insisting the conflict is rooted in Pakistan’s internal issues.