By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Thirteen Pakistani soldiers were killed on Saturday when an explosive-laden vehicle rammed into their convoy in the northwestern district of North Waziristan, marking one of the deadliest attacks on security forces this year.
The assault, which the military attributed to Indian sponsored terrorist groups, also left three civilians, including two children and a woman, severely injured.
The attack unfolded in Mir Ali, a town near the Afghan border, when a suicide bomber attempted to detonate explosives near a security forces convoy, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing.
Soldiers intercepted the bomber, thwarting his initial plan, but a second vehicle packed with explosives then slammed into one of the convoy’s lead vehicles, causing the fatalities.
“13 brave sons of soil, embraced shahadat (martyrdom) [and] in this tragic and barbaric incident, three innocent civilians including two children and a woman also severely injured,” ISPR statement said.
The soldiers killed in the attack were identified as Subedar Zahid Iqbal, 45; Havildar Sohrab Khan, 39; Havildar Mian Yousaf, 41; Naik Khitab Shah, 34; Lance Naik Ismail, 32; Sepoy Rohail, 30; Sepoy Muhammad Ramzan, 33; Sepoy Nawab, 30; Sepoy Zubair Ahmed, 24; Sepoy Muhammad Sahki, 31; Sepoy Hashim Abbasi, 20; Sepoy Muddasir Ejaz, 25; and Sepoy Manzar Ali, 23.
North Waziristan, nestled in the tribal region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has long been a flashpoint for militant violence. The area has seen a sharp rise in attacks on soldiers, police, government officials, and civilians since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, amplifying security challenges along Pakistan’s rugged western frontier.
In the hours that followed, security forces launched a clearance operation in the area, engaging militants in a firefight that left 14 insurgents dead, the ISPR reported.
“The operations in the area would continue and perpetrators of this heinous and cowardly act will be brought to justice,” the military said. “The security forces of Pakistan in step with the nation remain steadfast in their resolve to eradicate Indian-sponsored terrorism from the country and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers and innocent civilians further reinforce our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our nation at all costs.”
Pakistan’s army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, traveled to Peshawar’s Corps Headquarters on Saturday, where he was briefed on the security situation and attended the soldiers’ funeral at Bannu Garrison.
Field Marshal Munir also visited the injured at the Combined Military Hospital in Bannu. “All facilitators, abettors, and perpetrators of terrorism will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice—without exception and at all costs,” Munir vowed, according to the ISPR.
“The blood of every innocent Pakistani shall always be avenged,” the ISPR quoted the army chief as saying. “Any attempt to undermine Pakistan’s internal stability will be met with swift and decisive retribution.”
He added that “the face of the true perpetrator of terrorism in the region will be exposed to the entire world,” a statement widely interpreted as a pointed reference to India.
Political leaders swiftly condemned the attack and rallied behind the armed forces.
President Asif Ali Zardari called the fallen soldiers “our real heroes”. “The martyrs ensured the security of the motherland by sacrificing their lives. Such a cowardly attack cannot dampen the morale of the nation.”
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the civilian injuries and paid tribute to the soldiers. “Indian-backed terrorists committed [a] cowardly act. The entire nation salutes the martyrs. We are resolute to completely eradicate all forms of terrorism from the country.”
The bombing is the latest in a wave of violence sweeping Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials often tie such attacks to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), branded “Fitna al-Khawarij” by the state.
Earlier this month, operations in South Waziristan left two soldiers and 11 militants dead, while a Frontier Corps soldier was killed in Upper South Waziristan on June 15.
Recent data from the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows a 5 percent uptick in attacks in May 2025 compared to the previous month, though militant activity has not spiked dramatically despite escalating tensions with India.
Copyright © 2021 Independent Pakistan | All rights reserved
