Pakistan Taliban Launch Brazen Attack on Army Outpost, Killing 16 Soldiers

Battle-Scarred Border Region Sees Surge in Militant Violence

Pakistan’s Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for a brazen overnight raid on an army outpost near the border with Afghanistan on Saturday, which killed 16 soldiers and critically wounded five more.

The siege started after midnight and lasted about two hours, with around 30 militants pounding the mountainous outpost from three sides, according to a senior intelligence official.

“Sixteen soldiers were martyred and five were critically injured in the assault,” the official said.

“The militants set fire to the wireless communication equipment, documents, and other items present at the checkpoint,” he added.

A second intelligence official also confirmed the toll of dead and wounded in the attack in the Makeen area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 40km from the Afghan border.

The TTP claimed the attack in a statement, saying it was staged “in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders.”

The group also claimed to have seized a hoard of military gear, including machine guns and a night vision device.

Pakistan’s military has not yet issued a statement on the incident.

Tensions Simmer between Islamabad and Kabul

Pakistan has been battling a resurgence of militant violence in its western border regions since the Taliban’s 2021 return to power in Afghanistan.

Islamabad accuses Kabul’s rulers of failing to root out militants staging attacks on Pakistan from over the border.

The TTP, known for its brutal tactics, shares a common ideology with its Afghan counterparts, who surged back to power three years ago.

Kabul’s new rulers have pledged to evict foreign militant groups from Afghan soil, but a UN Security Council report in July estimated up to 6,500 TTP fighters are based there – and said “the Taliban do not conceive of TTP as a terrorist group.”

The report added that the Afghan Taliban show “ad hoc support to, and tolerance of, TTP operations, including the supplying of weapons and permission for training.”

Consequences of the Attack

The spike in attacks has soured Islamabad-Kabul relations. Security was cited as one reason for Pakistan’s campaign last year to evict hundreds of thousands of undocumented Afghan migrants.

FAQs

* Who claimed responsibility for the attack?
The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement.
* How many soldiers were killed in the attack?
Sixteen soldiers were killed, and five were critically injured.
* What was the motive for the attack?
The TTP claimed it was staged “in retaliation for the martyrdom of our senior commanders.”
* Has Pakistan’s military issued a statement on the incident?
No, Pakistan’s military has not yet issued a statement on the incident.
* What is the current state of relations between Islamabad and Kabul?
The spike in attacks has soured Islamabad-Kabul relations.